Gabrielle Leite

Research

Title of Research:

Governing the gender-health nexus: Delivering sexual and reproductive health

Brief overview of research topic:

Adolescent pregnancy can have profound effects on a young girl's life, influencing her education attainment, employment opportunities, while perpetuating cycles of poverty and poor health, particularly among marginalized communities. Despite recent improvement in Latin America, adolescent fertility rates remain high, with Brazil ranking among the highest in the region. The COVID-19 pandemic has further complicated this issue by disrupting sexual and reproductive health services, while the rise of conservative movements has challenged the implementation of comprehensive sexual education as well as access to services covered by legislation. 

This research seeks to respond what are the socio and economic conditions in which women who were adolescent mothers decide (and if they decide) on their pregnancy in Brazil, and how (and if) this perpetuates the cycle of poverty? In addition, how the rise of conservative movements are impacting access to sexual and reproductive health and rights of young adolescents in vulnerable conditions?