10 of Young Women Had Sex Before Turning 15 GSS

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS's) recent findings has revealed some alarming information on the sexual health of women.

The statistics indicates that one in ten women had their first sexual encounter before turning 15.

According to the report, 10% of young women aged 15-24 reported engaging in sexual activities prior to the age of 15, a terrifying statistic as compared to the 8% observed among their males within the same age bracket.

Furthermore, the data highlighted that 48% of women and 34% of men aged 18–24 experienced their initial sexual encounter before the age of 18.

The GSS noted that this trend has persisted since 2014, with the increase of early sexual debut among young women rising from 8% in 2008 to the current 10%.

This, according to reports, raises concerns about potential long-term adverse effects for the well-being of young women in Ghana.

Mr. Godwin Odei Gyebi, the Acting Director of Demography at the Ghana Statistical Service said, “The proportion of women aged 15–24 who had sexual intercourse before age 15 increased from 8% in 2008 to 11% in 2014 and then remained relatively unchanged at 10% in 2022. Similarly, the proportion among young men increased from 4% in 2008 to 9% in 2014 and remained relatively unchanged in 2022 (8%),”

The report also advocates for the use of condoms during sexual intercourse to decrease the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies, both of which are prevalent within this demographic.

Kobina Darlington/