In Uganda, 53% of the 386,000 annual adolescent pregnancies are un-intended and some end into unsafe abortions. 336 in 100,000 women die during pregnancy and childbirth and unsafe abortion accounts for 26% of the deaths. 28% of the maternal deaths occur among young women (15-24years).
It is estimated that 83% of the abortions happen under unsafe conditions and methods and 1500 women die due to unsafe abortion annually. High sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) violations like rape, defilement and forced marriages expose refugee young women to unsafe abortions. UNFPA estimates 25–50% of the refugee maternal deaths resulted from unsafe abortion.
The International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health report (2008/2010) indicates 78% of refugee maternal deaths followed delivery or abortion. Abortion stigma, limited knowledge on SRHR, abortion law/policies, justice channels to report SRHR violations on which unsafe abortions thrives hinders young women from accessing safe abortion and justice in most rural communities in Uganda.