This Nigerien Med Student Has a Plan to Tackle Family Planning Taboo

By Carol Bales , Advocacy and policy communications manager, IntraHealth InternationalFebruary 28, 2019Mariama Abdou Gado is working with young religious leaders to revolutionize sex  ed in Niger.en fran çaisMariama Abdou Gado is fearless when it comes to tackling the taboos and social norms that prevent young Nigeriens like her from learning about their sexual and reproductive health.She ’s 21 years old, a medical student, and not afraid to talk about sex, pregnancy, or contraception with anyone.“Young people represent almost 70% of the population in Niger,” Mariama says. “Should they go without information? No!”Now, with the €30,000AmplifyChange grant she won at theInternational Conference on Family Planning, she ’s reaching out to some of the most influential voices on the topic in Niger: young religious leaders.Niger and family planningNiger has the world ’s highest total fertility rate—women have an average of6.5 children—and one of the world’s lowest contraceptive prevalence rates—less than 16% of Nigerien women are using a modern method of contraception. It also has a very high maternal mortality rate —553 women die in childbirth for every 100,000 live births.Greater access to family planning information and services for young people could change this and address Niger ’s unmet need for family planning, whichstands at 20%.  Niger is anFP2020 focus country and committed to increasing its contraceptive prevalence rates. It ' s already ma...
Source: IntraHealth International - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Family Planning & Reproductive Health Maternal and Newborn Health Policy Advocacy International Conference on Family Planning Gender Equality Youth Niger Source Type: news