Who does what
Married men committed to wives’ health
In Niger, men are taking action to improve the health of women and children by engaging in awareness-raising campaigns initiated by women’s groups and associations.
© Reporters/LAIF
A mere decade ago, men were openly hostile to any issue pertaining to sexual health. Even now, a considerable number still prevent their wives from visiting family health centres. “When chatting, I make my friends aware of the benefits of pre- and postnatal consultation”, explains Abdoulaye, a shopkeeper in Niamey, and someone who knows a lot about maternal and child health.
Most often, awareness-raising events take place in the public square or during local festivities.
The work, carried out by men, leads to impressive results. “Women are now visiting family health centres more and more. At the slightest worry regarding their health, they go to their nearest centre”, recalls Aichatou, a midwife at Niamey. “Results are even more striking in the many villages where the men themselves drive their wives to their appointments, which was unheard of only a few years ago”, adds a colleague.
Broken taboos
Without inhibition, men now allow their wives to make use of contraception. “This is all thanks to the emancipation of the woman in Niger. Our associations have made great strides. It’s taken a long time, but the effort has been worth it”, rejoices a militant advocate of women’s rights.
Views have changed regarding contraception. In the past, opposition was widespread in both rural and urban areas. “My husband forbade me to take any medication to space out the births. Even so, I still used it all the time. Now, though, we both decide on whether to use it”, explains a 33 year old, (it might be best not to use names in case it could prove harmful to the respondents) mother of four. Many women like her took contraception without their husbands knowing. But a large number now do so with the approval of their spouses, who are better informed on the subject.
“In the past, I thought this kind of idea was a very Western one. But since meeting with the group of men who have agreed to change their relationship to family planning, I have quite a different take. Now I discuss this type of question with my wife”, confides a 47 year old man.
The media have made a considerable contribution alongside women’s organisations to convince men of the arguments in favour of changing their attitudes towards reproduction. These efforts have met with considerable resistance, however, on the part of the marabouts (Islamic leaders and teachers). But as times change, the latter have started preaching on the subject in their sermons. Since then, the prevailing climate has changed appreciably. “Limiting births is prohibited in Islam, but not their deferral.”
