Teen mothers in Ghana are seeing their childhoods — and the futures they’ve dreamed of — slip away.

Teen pregnancy is often the result of failures to educate, protect, and empower girls. Many teen mothers never received sexual health education, never had access to contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy, and never had a choice — they are survivors of child marriage and rape.

UNFPA spoke with Lucy, a 16-year-old mother in Central Ghana who should be in school, but is not. “It is not fair that I am home and (the father of my child) is at school,” she shared with us.

To address these disparities, women and girls in Ghana need urgent and sustained support. Your donation today can provide essential resources and education so every girl has the opportunity to pursue her dreams:

Lucy spends her day caring for her one year old baby boy and lives with her grandmother, who is the only source of financial support for her and her child. Due to this, Lucy struggles to keep her son fed and rarely takes him to the doctor when he is sick. 

“It’s not fair. I don’t like that. So I want to go to school to continue my schooling because I want to be a nurse.”

Unintended pregnancies limit women and girls' education and job opportunities. Scaling up support for reproductive health services keeps girls like Lucy in school — but that’s just the beginning. When women and girls can make decisions for their bodies and futures, maternal deaths plummet, children are healthier, and entire families and communities thrive.

Ending teen pregnancy and securing the health and futures of girls everywhere is a win for all of us. Your support today is a vital part of these efforts. Will you make a donation for women and girls today?

Your contribution can transform lives around the world.

Thank you,

— USA for UNFPA