Abstract:
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) remain inadequate – both globally and in
South Africa (SA). We systematically scoped the available policies and guidelines for SRH-related policy for AGYW in SA. We found many
available policies and guidelines to address issues of family planning, HIV prevention and care and antenatal and maternal care. Despite the
wealth of guidance, SA’s high rates of pregnancy and HIV transmission continue unabated. Our policy review and analysis identified issues
for researchers and policymakers to consider when developing and implementing programmes to improve SRH services. We suggest that
considering national policies alongside evidence of what is effective, as well as contextual barriers to and enablers of strategies to address
AGYW needs for SRH, are among the key steps to addressing the policy-to-implementation gap.
