Abstract
In Nigeria, over 68% of women, especially young girls, desire but lack autonomy in their reproductive health decisions. Autonomous access to high-quality reproductive health services is a fundamental human right. However, access to modern contraception methods is constrained by various political and sociocultural barriers that hinder access to contraception services and information.
Following the COVID pandemic, there has been increasing focus on contraceptive self-care interventions, which offer women/girls the ability to take charge of their reproductive health decisions with or without the support of a provider. With the recent introduction of a self-injectable contraceptive (DMPA-SC), there is a chance to increase reproductive autonomy. However, DMPA-SC remains inaccessible to many women –especially young and unmarried women. My dissertation explores the potential demand for self-care contraception methods among women/girls, assesses the services offered to them, and describes the broader policy environment, structural supports, and barriers to realizing their reproductive health goals