Addressing stigma and discrimination towards school re-entry of teenage mothers in Ghana

Abstract

This study investigates how teenage mothers in Ghana experience stigma and discrimination during their post-pregnancy and childbirth school re-entry phase. It evaluates the effectiveness of current interventions—the Guidelines for Prevention of Pregnancy Among School Girls and Facilitation of Re-Entry into School after Childbirth, aimed at fostering a supportive and an inclusive school environment to re-engaged teenage mothers. Through a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 55 teenage mothers, 18 teachers, and 10 school management committee members, we identified three key themes: lived experiences, assessment of interventions, and strategies for creating an inclusive school environment. Our findings reveal the protential of the policy guidelines but also acknowledge the ongoing challenges that re-engaged pregnant teenagers and mothers still face acrossed the municipalities. Interventions like awareness programs, networking/supportive groups, training/reorientation of teachers, and community engagement can further bolster the policy’s overall effectiveness. Consequently, this study contributes to enhancing educational opportunities for teenage mothers in Ghana by providing insights for localized interventions.