Freetown , Sierra Leone ( CNN ) -- Sierra Leone and Liberia have some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world , with 15-24 year olds accounting for 40 % of such deaths ) and two years ago , agencies IPPF and FORWARD listened to hundreds of African voices talking about sexual and reproductive health and rights . These were n't the voices of presidents , parliamentarians , politicians , advocates , or activists discussing laws , principles , precepts and policy . They were the voices of young teenage girls in Liberia and Sierra Leone , speaking directly about their experiences , in a project called `` Girls at Risk . '' Though not exclusively so , the prime `` risk '' in question was teenage pregnancy : the risk of becoming pregnant ; the risks associated with unsafe abortion ; and those associated with poor maternal health provision . I was involved as an analyst : reviewing the responses with a view to answering three very straightforward questions . First , why are teenage girls from poor backgrounds so at risk of teenage pregnancy ? Secondly , what is the impact of teenage pregnancy and early motherhood on these girls lives ? Thirdly , what do girls say about the availability of appropriate services and information ? The depth and extent of detail which emerged from what these hundreds of girls said was overwhelming . See also : High-profile teen pregnancies in spotlight . What was most striking was how attitudes and actions which we would consider extreme were related as commonplace occurrences . I talk of rape , incest , abuse and gender-based violence ; of girls routinely pressured by parents into marriage , multiple relationships with `` sugar daddy '' partners , or sex work to secure the basics of survival ; of the immense physical and psychological trauma caused by years of conflict and the use of rape as a weapon of war ; of unsafe abortion resulting in sickness or death ; of economic independence denied through forced removal from education . It is a familiar litany : one which it 's possible to become desensitized to through repetition . But as I looked over the transcripts of the interviews , the words of these girls ( so matter-of-factly stated ) , came as a real jolt . If you want to know what these girls said , verbatim , I 'd urge you to look at one of the two `` In Their Own Words '' . Sexual and reproductive health and rights publications are often hard to read or understand . This is elegant in the simplicity of its expression and the clarity of its message . It may seem to you to be the wrong message to be highlighting on International Women 's Day , which should be celebratory . On the contrary . International Women 's Day this year is about `` Connecting girls , inspiring futures '' . See also : Africa 's birth rate : 'Why women must be free to choose ' `` Girls at Risk '' connected girls : it brought them together to share knowledge and experience and to disseminate their thoughts and opinions and testimony on a world stage . Critically , it subsequently served to inspire futures : the futures of individuals , and the futures of communities . In Liberia , for example , Marcontee Okai was inspired to set up the exquisitely-named `` Girls of Destiny Reading and Etiquette Club '' . It answers girls ' needs for a space of their own ( one not dominated by boys ) for learning vocational skills and for continuing their education . Marcontee says , `` Twenty five girls attend the club which is located in the YWCA . I help them improve their reading skills and develop good manners . My plan is to ensure that every young girl in Liberia has a quality education and information about sexual and reproductive health -- but I will need more support to make that happen . '' `` The Girls of Destiny Reading and Etiquette Club , '' in microcosm , offers a solution to many of the ills which our analysis of the interviews in the `` Girls at Risk '' project revealed , and meets many of the recommendations which the team subsequently made . The call was for better signposting to sexual and reproductive health services , for girls-only spaces , for health education and promotion programs to counter myths and misinformation , for confidence and self-esteem building initiatives , and for vocational training to foster economic independence . In addition , courses for pregnant teenagers and mothers on baby and childcare , and a concerted drive to reverse policies which prevent pregnant teenagers staying in school , and the foundations for a revolution in teenage girls ' lives are in place . What it needs is the will and the support ( the support that Marcontee calls for ) to make it happen . I have worked in sexual and reproductive health in Africa and around the world for 20 years . I am profoundly optimistic that change is achievable , and the more we make the world aware of what young women are forced to endure in countries such as Liberia and Sierra Leone , the more quickly that change will come . Something definitely to be celebrated on International Women 's Day . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Seri Wendoh .
' ' Girls at Risk '' project allows young African girls to engage with their issues such as teenage pregnancy . Ms Wendoh was able to gain an understanding of the risks young girls face . Wendoh wanted to use International Women 's Day to better connect young girls and get their voices heard .