Access to family planning services amongst women with disability in Uganda

Stella Kigozi, Population Secretariat, Uganda

Across the world, people with disabilities often have poorer health, lower education achievements than people without disabilities and they face widespread barriers in accessing health services. Studies show that women with disabilities face more barriers in accessing health services including family planning services: some common to all women, in addition to negative attitudes by health care personnel, the community and their partners (Human Rights Watch, 2010). In Uganda, there is; little or no extensive knowledge on family planning behavior amongst women with disability and no disaggregated data up to lower levels on women with disability. This paper investigates the reproductive health needs and contraceptive behavior of women with disability in Uganda and demonstrates that women with disability are not asexual; have similar reproductive health needs, interests and challenges like women without disability. The paper also shows that there is a high unmet need for family planning amongst women with disability.