Download
1 / 30
300 likes | 464 Vues
WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN ENUGU STATE:. A BASELINE SURVEY. BY. MRS. MIRIAM MENKITI & DR. NKOLI EZUMAH. WOMEN INFORMATION NETWORK (WINET), ENUGU, ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA. INTRODUCTION.
E N D
WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN ENUGU STATE: A BASELINE SURVEY.
BY MRS. MIRIAM MENKITI & DR. NKOLI EZUMAH WOMEN INFORMATION NETWORK (WINET), ENUGU, ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA.
INTRODUCTION • Reproductive right is defined as the “Right to make decision concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence” [Germain et al, 1995:22] . • Reproductive rights include the • rights of couples and individuals to choose freely the number of children they want;
rights to make decisions concerning the timing as well as spacing of children without coercion; • rights to receive counseling information that is safe and affordable on family planning methods that are acceptable
rights to access appropriate health care services for pregnancy and its management. • HENCE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE PERCEIVED AS FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS.
Key Issues in the Attainment of Reproductive Rights • issues of control and choice • awareness and knowledge about reproductive rights and • concerns about the social context in which the reproductive rights would be exercised.
Pregnancy Related Health Problems Faced by Women in Nigeria • miscarriages • pre and post partum hemorrhage • maternal mortality • STIs, which include Gonorrhea, Staphylococcus and Syphilis, HIV/AIDS, • teenage pregnancy • female genital cutting
Factors That Constrain The Attainment Of Women’s Reproductive Rights In Nigeria.
They include • Social needs arising from Gender issues • Economic factors • Cultural factors and • Religious factors.
CULTURAL FACTORS • Nigerian women tend to have too many children and frequent pregnancies because procreation is perceived as the central role of women • And also because of preference of male children who are expected to perpetuate the male line. • Excessive Hemorrhage, which often leads to Anaemia and even death, is a major consequence of these frequent pregnancies.
Social Constraints Include • Ignorance about their reproductive rights • Illiteracy; • Lack of knowledge about family planning; • Availability of family planning services; • People’s attitudes to sexuality which influence their perception of whether it is appropriate to use the services; those they think should use them,
gender issues influencing decision making concerning fertility and its control • low utilization of health care treatment facilities during pregnancy due to women’s low socio-economic status • The issue of male authority is also a constraint for women in accessing health care services.
Economic factors include • poverty • low socio economic status of women constrain their ability to negotiate sex due to fear of likely consequences
Other cultural factors • people’s attitudes to sexuality, • prevalence of harmful traditional practices • lack of participation in decision making that prevent them from making informed decisions • Gender based violence and abuse including female genital cutting or female circumcision, ways female sexuality is controlled, threatens women’s physical and psychological well-being
Religious factors • Religious beliefs constrain some religious adherents from utilizing family planning devices that are available.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY • to generate information on reproductive rights concerns of women in Enugu state in order to enable Women Information Network (WINET), utilize such information in carrying out media advocacy on issues of women’s reproductive rights in Enugu State as a step towards fulfilling the rights.
METHODOLOGY • Quantitative and Qualitative methods were used. • The study was conducted in four communities in Enugu State, Nigeria: • Amokwu Affa (rural), • Awkunanaw (urban), • Obe (rural) and • Trans-Ekulu (urban).
METHODOLOGY Contd. • Questionnaires were given to 100 people (39 males and 61 females), • Sixteen in-depth interviews (IDIs) took place with eight males and eight females, • Sixteen focus group discussions (FGDs), also took place with eight male FGD groups and eight female FGD groups, • The baseline survey occurred between September and December 2005.
RESULTS • The baseline study revealed that respondents define reproductive rights as rights of men and women to decide to marry, to reproduce or not to reproduce, to decide on the number and spacing of children, enjoy sex and manage families • Those who were opposed to couples determining the number of children to have said that it should be a divine decision
RESULTS Contd. • Majority felt that youths have the right to sexuality education for proper enlightenment, to prevent unwanted pregnancy and to promote abstinence and morality and prepare them for their future role. • A minority expressed opposition to the idea of providing sexuality education to adolescents due to their perception that it will have a corrupting effect.
RESULTS Contd. • Concerns identified about pregnancy include • high rate of teenage pregnancy; • lack of experienced health care providers and health facilities for safe delivery; • lack of money for antenatal; • high mortality rate of pregnant women; • nutrition of the women and concerns for the sex of the baby.
RESULTS Contd. • The study also showed that there are limited facilities for family planning services especially in the two rural communities; • 47.8% of the respondents from the survey said that husband and wife should receive information about family planning services in order to promote mutual understanding and harmony.
RESULTS Contd. • Only 38.0% of the respondents agreed that it is appropriate for couples to use contraceptives to control the number and spacing of their children. • Gender issues, religion, culture and poverty were identified as factors constraining people’s use of family planning services.
RESULTS Contd. • Female circumcision is practiced in the four communities; • 65.6% of the female respondents indicated that they were circumcised, • 30.0% of the females indicated that it is good to continue the practice, • Only 42.0% of the respondents indicated that they know about actions being taken to stop female circumcision.
RESULTS Contd. • Women experience acts of sexual violence such as rape and incest • the perpetrators are men and youths. • Groups involved in the efforts to curb sexual violence are • age grades, • traditional/community leaders,
RESULTS Contd. • police, • religious groups, • government and • NGOs • However positive out comes of their activities have been minimal.
CONCLUSION • Awareness is a key issue; these people need to know that they are entitled to these rights. • Respondents emphasized the need for women’s groups, traditional/community leaders and government to undertake massive sensitization and awareness raising to enable women attain the highest standard of reproductive rights.
CONCLUSION Contd. • The government is urged to provide health care facilities; • free medical care; • health instructors that will be resident in rural areas; • infrastructures in the rural areas and • enact laws to promote women’s reproductive rights.
Finally, I look forward to a Nigeria where women are fully aware of their reproductive rights and as a result face very minimal risks of the health problems associated with inability to attain their reproductive rights.
