Sexual Violence and Adolescent Pregnancy Highly Prevalent in Latin America
Latin America is on track to have the highest rate of adolescent pregnancy in the world within the next 10 years. As Esteban Caballero, regional director of the United Nations Population Fund in Latin America explains, social stigmas and lack of access to contraception and sexual education are two major barriers to improving this issue. “The lack of information and restricted access to comprehensive sex education and adequate sexual and reproductive health services are directly related to adolescent pregnancies.” It is estimated that approximately 15% of pregnancies in Latin America occur in girls below the age of 20.
Some of the popular apps that already offer sexual health information and cycle tracking fail to meet the specific educational and cultural needs of young women in Latin America, where sexual violence is an issue affecting 2 out of every 3 women. As a consequence of the high rates of adolescent pregnancy, there are an estimated 4 million unsafe abortions performed each year throughout Latin America.
There are 194 million women of reproductive age or older in Latin America that CHAVA has the potential to reach. Even if only targeting women ages 15-25, there are 33 million women in the region, with variable levels of access to reliable and engaging sexual and reproductive education. The greatest need for increased access to education is in rural areas, where smartphones offer unprecedented access to information for youth.
CHAVA’s Solution
CHAVA was designed using a co-leadership model, incorporating ideas and feedback from the Latin American youth that it is intended to serve. This collaboration resulted in a comprehensive sexual education app including password-protected cycle tracking, games, 1-on-1 consultations, and a community of young women supporting each other. CHAVA aims to help women gain autonomy over their reproductive choices through education. Data-driven insights create a personalized experience, making the app appropriate and approachable for both Gen Z and Millennial women.
CHAVA founders hope that, in addition to closing the health literacy gap, CHAVA plays a role in social change. Fast Company recognized CHAVA for the app’s potential to reduce unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexual violence throughout Latin America.
How Femovate Helps
Chava was awarded sponsorship through Guidea’s Femovate program for ‘22.
As part of the Femovate sponsorship, the digital health experts at Guidea worked with the amazing, dedicated team at Chava to envision the end to end product journey for young women, from initially hearing about Chava, to engaging with content, getting key health questions addressed with accurate answers, and ultimately growing knowledge and confidence about their bodies and health options.
"Our Guidea team led our new design team through a thoughtful and insightful process - grounded in user research, guided by their deep and relevant experience, and reflecting our vision for the app. Guidea really delivered above our expectations."
-Susan Cotton, Co-Founder
For more information about CHAVA, visit www.CHAVA.app and follow them on LinkedIn
For more information on Femovate visit www.femovate.com and follow us on LinkedIn
For interviews please contact Theresa Neil
