Abstract

Sexual and reproductive health is an important part of general health globally recognised in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3. Access to sexual and reproductive health services such as contraception provides young people with the opportunity to make informed choices regarding reproductive health. However, poor sexual and reproductive health is evident in numerous forms including sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortion. In this paper, we examine the experiences of contraceptive use among young women living in pastoral communities. Findings derive from a qualitative contextual analysis of adolescent sexual and reproductive health conducted in the Karamoja sub-region of Uganda. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with married young women aged 15–19. Audio recordings and field notes were taken during interviews. Thematic data analysis was conducted aided by Atlas.ti software. Findings reveal that young women living in pastoralist communities experience challenges which deter their use of contraception. Contraceptive use experiences, socio-cultural values and practices, the attitudes of service providers, and livelihood necessities of pastoralism cause low uptake of contraception. Adequate understanding of the experiences and associated values encountered by such vulnerable and marginalised groups in the use of contraception is critical in addressing the challenge to achieving SDG targets.