Briefing Paper

Understanding Factors Influencing Access and Choice of Contraceptives among Young People in Migori

In August 2019, the project undertook qualitative in-depth interviews with 32 female youth ages 18-24 years in Migori, Mombasa, and Nairobi to better understand factors that affect young people’s ability to have full access and choice on contraception. Data from this study are presented below, alongside quantitative data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) (2014). A learning agenda was developed and informed by a set of study questions advanced by stakeholders from the public sector and non-governmental organizations in Migori county. This brief addresses three of those priority questions: (i) Who influences adolescents and youth to seek out family planning and which contraceptive methods do they choose to use? (ii) Are family planning services accessible and affordable to adolescents and youth in Migori County; and (iii) What myths and misperceptions exist around adolescent and youth family planning and how can they best be corrected?