Pathways to health and learning inclusion among young women in South Western Nigeria

In Nigeria, an estimated 19% of women aged 15-19 years have begun childbearing while an additional 4% are pregnant with their first child (National Population Commission, 2018). Numerous policy and academic studies depict early pregnancy and motherhood as a phenomenon that creates poor health, economic and social challenges for both mother and child (Adegbola & Sanusi 2019). This has reinforced negative attitudes towards young mothers. However, the effects of these remain understudied. My PhD findings showed how discriminatory community, educational and health practices reinforced marginalisation, poor health, and socio-economic outcomes among young mothers. Currently, there is poor awareness of the health and wellbeing impacts of stigma and discrimination. There are also no official/formal interventions to support school retention of pregnant girls and ensure the effective re-integration of young mothers into formal education in Nigeria. I plan to use this fellowship to set a foundation for future work in this area.

My overall aim for this fellowship is to develop foundational skills which will enable me to undertake research, formulate policies, and suggest best practices for improving the wellbeing of young women in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). My first objective focuses on publishing two journal articles to contribute to limited knowledge on young mothers' experiences of stigma and discrimination in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. To maximise reach, I plan to publish blogposts of these articles at 'The Conversation Africa' and present at seminars.

A focus on the next steps from my PhD aims at using co-creation methods to stimulate engagement and contribute to evidence on reducing learning and healthcare exclusions. Within the Faculty of WELS at The Open University, researchers have expertise in using digital co-creation methods to improve health and learning outcomes in LMICs. By attending formal and informal training/workshops within WELS, I plan to develop methodological skills in these areas and understand how to conduct workshops effectively.

Thirdly, to build my networking and collaboration skills, I plan to conduct a dissemination session with key stakeholders (e.g., health and educational practitioners, policymakers, NGOs) in Nigeria to disseminate findings and raise awareness on the implications of educational and healthcare stigma and discrimination on young women's wellbeing. This session will also discuss the added benefits of using qualitative and creative methodologies to generate quality data in Africa. Afterwards, I will conduct a two-day data-gathering workshop with key stakeholders (e.g., practitioners, policymakers, and NGOs) in education and related sectors to co-create knowledge on school re-entry and retention for young women. The workshop will explore causes of learning exclusions, challenges, and opportunities for improving educational inclusion. By analysing the workshop's discussions, I will add participants' insights to a briefing on non-formal existing practices that aid school re-integration and explore potential pathways for improving school retention. This brief can support educational policymakers and practitioners working to improve educational inclusion.

The 2030 agenda for the Sustainable Development Goal is to leave no one behind (Buzeti et al. 2020). Investing in female education, particularly among marginalised populations (such as pregnant adolescents and young mothers) is crucial to promoting gender equality and improving health and wellbeing outcomes (Ibid). At the end of my fellowship, I plan to submit a grant to document best practices and analyse successful case studies that have improved school retention in sub-Saharan Africa, to identify transferrable elements for a Nigerian context. To learn more about developing grants, I plan to shadow my mentor and activities within the Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD) at The Open University.