In Guyana, access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) remains extremely inequitable. While policies on paper signal progress, communities across the country, particularly in rural, hinterland, and Indigenous regions, face persistent barriers to quality care and information. Against this backdrop, advocates are working with determination to expand access, navigate complex cultural landscapes, and build solutions that are both community-rooted and future-oriented.

One of the clearest hurdles is the gap between policy and implementation. “While Guyana has progressive commitments on paper, including to international SRHR frameworks, there is often a gap between policy and practice,” explains Kobe Smith, Executive Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA). GRPA delivers SRH services and national advocacy work, with a strong focus on youth and underserved populations. For Kobe, the absence of consistent services in hinterland regions, coupled with cultural stigma and insufficient data, makes advancing rights-based programming all the more urgent. “These challenges demand a rights-based, inclusive, and well-resourced approach that centers the needs of the most vulnerable.”

Access is also constrained by logistical limitations and systemic neglect. Dr. Sara Scott, President of SRHR Adventures and a family medicine specialist working in the public health system, notes that “limited access to services in rural and hinterland regions, inconsistent contraceptive supplies, cultural stigma surrounding family planning and adolescent sexual health, and provider bias” are daily realities. Her organization, a grassroots youth-led initiative, has worked to fill some of these gaps through community-driven advocacy and inclusive programming.

Legal access does not always translate to real-world availability. Akola Thompson, Managing Director of the queer-led collective Tamùkke Feminists, points to how even where services like abortion are technically legal, they remain inaccessible. “Access is severely limited due to underfunding and lack of government interest,” she says. In her view, Guyana’s reliance on external donor priorities and its entanglement with religious conservatism have stalled broader investment in reproductive justice. Akola's collective emphasizes the need to view SRHR beyond a biomedical lens, advocating for a reproductive justice approach that includes the right to choose whether to have a child, and the right to raise families in safe and supportive environments.

In the face of funding cuts, all three leaders emphasize the need for stronger local coalitions and diversified funding strategies. Kobe stresses the importance of investing in community-led models and strengthening grassroots organizations so that “even in lean times, the work doesn’t stop.” Similarly, Sara calls for “enhancing volunteerism and community-driven solutions,” while building organizational capacity in grant writing and partnerships.

Despite the challenges, Guyana offers valuable lessons in resilience and adaptability. SRHR advocates have woven their efforts into broader movements, ranging from youth empowerment to climate resilience, to make their impact go further. As Kobe reflects, “Our ability to integrate SRHR into broader social development agendas—like youth empowerment, Indigenous rights, gender-based violence prevention, and climate resilience—offers lessons in how to deliver holistic, context-sensitive programming in complex environments..”

There is a deep sense of hope grounded in the leadership of young people and marginalized communities. As the country moves forward, advocates are calling for investment in systems that are community-owned, culturally sensitive, and grounded in rights (not just coverage). From hinterland health clinics to queer feminist organizing, the future of family planning in Guyana is being shaped by those who refuse to be left behind. As Kobe adds, “Young people here are not waiting for permission to lead change—they’re driving it.”