Support for Girls
The life of girls in sub-Saharan Africa is strongly shaped while they are still young. In many developing countries, girls are married at the age of 14 and shortly afterwards they already expect their first child. More then 14 million girls between 15 and 19 years of age give birth every year (more >). Teenage pregnancies do not only force them to quit school but also brings along great health hazards: Teenage girls have a doubled risk to die during pregnancy or birth.
With our development projects and advocacy work, DSW increases awareness in Europe and in Africa itself and advocates for educational opportunities. Our objective is to break through the circuit of unwanted pregnancy, school dropouts, unemployment and poverty. We aim to empower women and adolescents to live a healthy and self-chosen life.
Teenage Pregnancies
In sub-Saharan Africa, about five million pregnancies occur among 15 to 19-year-olds every year; often they are unwanted. The risk of dying during pregnancy or during childbirth is twice as high for teenage girls as for women over 20 - their bodies are immature. For girls under 15, the probability of dying is even five times as high. In the poorest countries of the world, complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the main reason for teenage girls' deaths.
more >
Female Genital Mutilation
An Inhuman Tradition
An estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women in the world are victims of female genital mutilation. In addition to life-long traumas, they often suffer from potentially fatal infections, bleeding and complications during childbirth. more >
Fistula
A Severe Obstetric Injury
Obstetric fistulas are a severe obstetric injury which particularly affects young women whose body is not yet prepared to give birth. Often, patients are only 13 or 14 years old when they become pregnant for the first time. more >
