Peer-reviewed article
'They don't see us to be sexual beings': barriers to sexual intimacy and reproductive rights among women with disabilities in northern Ghana.
Ganle JK, Ofori C, Adimazoya EA ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study explores the barriers that women with disabilities in northern Ghana face in achieving sexual intimacy and exercising their reproductive rights. Through interviews with 77 women, researchers identified seven key barriers including negative stereotypes about attractiveness, mobility limitations, lack of social support, and reduced access to reproductive health services. The study found that women with disabilities also face heightened vulnerability to sexual abuse and are often disbelieved when they report it. The authors call for public education and improved access to healthcare infrastructure and reproductive health information.
Key points
- Women with disabilities encounter intersectional barriers shaped by disability type
- Negative public perception that women with disabilities are not sexually attractive limits opportunities for sexual relationships
- Mobility challenges restrict opportunities for meeting potential partners
- Women with disabilities face fear and stigma around childbearing and mothering roles
- Limited access to reproductive health information and services, combined with disbelief when reporting sexual abuse, leaves women vulnerable
Limitations
This study documents barriers and experiences through qualitative interviews but does not evaluate an intervention or track outcomes over time. The findings are specific to northern Ghana and may not represent experiences in other regions or contexts.
Abstract
Background Worldwide, women with disabilities experience more difficulty realising sexual intimacy and their reproductive rights compared to those without disability. However, contextual empirical evidence on specific barriers to sexual intimacy and reproductive rights in Sub-Saharan Africa is scant. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers to achieving sexual intimacy and reproductive rights among women with disabilities in northern Ghana. Methods A descriptive phenomenological qualitative study was conducted in Northern Ghana. A total of 77 reproductive-aged women with disabilities were purposively selected and individually interviewed. Thematic content analysis technique was used to analyse and present the data. Results Women with disabilities encountered seven intersectional barriers to realising sexual intimacy and reproductive rights depending on disability type. These included negative public perception that women with disabilities are not sexually attractive; mobility challenges which limit opportunities for meeting potential sexual partners; lack of social support; fear that women with disabilities may give birth to children with disabilities; stereotypes that women with disabilities may not fulfil their mothering roles; limited access to reproductive health information and services; and the fact that they are often not believed in cases where they complain about sexual abuse. Conclusion Public education about the sexuality and reproductive rights of women with disabilities is needed. Improvement in access to physical healthcare infrastructure as well as to essential reproductive health information and services would also be critical in helping WWDs realise their reproductive rights.