This editorial provides an overview of a thematic series that brings attention to the persistently deficient and unequal access to sexual and reproductive health services for young women in sub-Saharan Africa. It represents an effort to analyze the multifaceted relationship between laws, policies and access to services in Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania. Using a comparative perspective and qualitative research methodology, the papers presented in this issue explore legal, political and social factors and circumstances that condition access to sexual and reproductive health services within and across the three countries. Through these examples we show the often inconsistent and even paradoxical relationship between the formal law and practices on the ground. Particular emphasis is placed on safe abortion services as an intensely politicized issue in global sexual and reproductive health. In addition to the presentation of the individual papers, this editorial comments on the global politics of abortion which represents a critical context for the regional and local developments in sexual and reproductive health policy and care provision in general, and for the contentious issue of abortion in particular.

中文翻译：

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生殖健康和堕胎政治。

这篇社论概述了一系列专题，使人们注意到撒哈拉以南非洲年轻妇女在持续缺乏和不平等地获得性健康和生殖健康服务方面。它代表着努力分析埃塞俄比亚，赞比亚和坦桑尼亚的法律，政策与服务获得之间的多方面关系。本期发表的论文采用比较观点和定性研究方法，探讨了法律，政治和社会因素及情况，这些因素和情况限制了这三个国家内部和整个国家获得性健康和生殖健康服务的机会。通过这些例子，我们可以看出形式法律与实地实践之间经常不一致甚至矛盾的关系。特别强调安全堕胎服务是全球性健康和生殖健康中一个高度政治化的问题。除了介绍个别论文外，这篇社论还评论了全球堕胎政治，这代表了性和生殖健康政策及护理总体上区域和地方发展以及关于堕胎的争议性问题的关键背景。特定。