FEMALE SEX WORKERS’ ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Female sex workers in Sub-Saharan Africa are one of the cohorts with the highest HIV prevalence, a low contraceptive prevalence, and unmet family planning method needs with most interventions not taking into consideration the environment they operate in. To address the challenges female sex workers experience in accessing sexual reproductive health services there is a need to understand the different social identities (age, gender sex work) and how they intersect with the structural factors in society. A narrative review was carried out to find out the challenges using intersectionality theory that investigates issues of stigma, harmful cultural norms and roles, and poverty and how that is linked to access to comprehensive sexual reproductive services. The review highlighted challenges such as age, criminalisation socioeconomic status, stigma, and motherhood, cultural roles having an impact on how female sex workers access sexual reproductive health services. However, the review showed that some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are using target-specific interventions such as raising awareness on these issues to improve access to services. The review showed that it is important to take an intersectional approach in addressing challenges such as the peer education method to create demand for services. Having contextualised sexual health reproductive services is one of the approaches that could work in addressing the challenges experienced.