ONDANGWA, NAMIBIA – In a timely and powerful new documentary, African Union Media Fellow Tuyeimo Haidula investigates the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) landscape across the African continent, focusing on the life-threatening challenges adolescents face.
Titled “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Africa’s Lifesaving Actions for Adolescents”, the documentary premieres on NTV Africa on Africa Day, May 25, 2025 – a day that celebrates the unity, resilience, and progress of the continent.
The film delivers an urgent and necessary narrative that speaks to the future of Africa: its youth.
The documentary offers an unflinching look at the devastating impact of restrictive abortion laws, limited access to reproductive healthcare, and the consequences of unsafe, backstreet abortions, especially on girls and young women aged 15 to 19.
Featuring interviews with medical experts, policy advocates, and notable voices such as Namibia’s former First Lady Monica Geingos, the film amplifies stories of resilience while asking a critical question: “Should we improve access to safe abortion by enhancing access to comprehensive reproductive health services in Africa?”
According to the World Health Organisation, 97% of all unsafe abortions occur in developing countries, with nearly half taking place under the least safe conditions in Africa.
While the Maputo Protocol remains the only human rights instrument on the continent that explicitly recognises abortion rights, 44 out of 49 ratifying African Union member states have placed reservations on Article 14(2)(c), effectively weakening its impact.
This failure leaves countless adolescents vulnerable, without access to essential health education, safe services, or the means to control their reproductive lives.
Filmed inside Windhoek Central and Katutura State Hospitals, the documentary captures the real-time impact of unsafe abortions. It showcases the tireless work of Namibian healthcare professionals providing critical care to affected adolescents.
The film also highlights innovative grassroots and international solutions – including the “Carma Plus” campaign, which integrates sexual and reproductive health, rights, and HIV services – aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 3.7 and 5.6 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The release of this documentary coincides with global advocacy efforts, including the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion (September 28).
The African Union itself has acknowledged unsafe abortion as a leading but under-addressed cause of maternal mortality, making the case for urgent reform stronger than ever.
In the photo: Dr. Cornelia Ndifon, a medical practitioner and public health expert, pictured with the documentary’s executive producer Tuyeimo Haidula. Also pictured with Haidula is former First Lady of Namibia Mrs Monica Geingos.
About the filmmakers: Maria David (Researcher) is a community reporter who began her journalism career in 2014. She started at Vision 2030 magazine and joined Informanté in 2016. Over the years, she has also contributed to the Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA) and One Africa Television.
Tuyeimo Haidula (Executive Producer) is a multi-award-winning health and community journalist with over a decade of experience reporting across Namibia, South Africa, India, and the United Kingdom. As an African Union Media Fellow (2023/24), her work seeks to elevate underreported stories and challenge stigma while advocating for evidence-based policy reform. Currently a journalist at Network Media Hub (NMH), Haidula has contributed to BBC Africa, Bhekisisa, openDemocracy, The Namibian, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, and Citizen News Service.
Peace Ncube (Film Director) is a journalist with an Honours degree in Media Studies and English from the University of Namibia (UNAM). She is also a renowned entrepreneur and the owner of Nocky Hair Salon, which has won two awards to date. In addition, Peace is the founder of the Namibian Hair and Beauty Awards (NHBA), with the inaugural edition taking place in 2025.
