Senegal Seeks to Curb the Baby Boom

A 25-year-old mother of five hailing from Senegal’s eastern Tambacounda province believes that contraceptives damage the womb and cause health problems in the long term, such as a rise in blood pressure and chronic headaches. “This is what I heard some women saying in the bus I boarded to go to town,” the woman, now living in the capital city of Dakar after her tragic divorce, tells IPS. She was only 16 when she was forced to marry her 35-year-old cousin. When she tried to discuss contraception with her former husband, “he beat me up and swore that he would kill me if I ever mentioned it again. So we kept having babies.” As a result of misconceptions about children and family planning, religious dogma and a lack of reproductive health services, thousands of women across Senegal share her plight. Breaking the stereotypes Children are a symbol of wealth in this West African country of 12 million people, a perception that has led to a “baby boom”, experts here say. “This ancient belief implies that more boys mean more manpower (for) a farm, or that you stand a chance of seeing (your son) become a rich man or even the president of the republic or a minister, while many girls bring their parents more money or livestock for dowry when they get married, ” marriage counsellor Fatoumata Sow tells IPS in Dakar. “The moment (women) get married, they start making children as if a high-speed train has taken off late at a station, and is flying to catch up. “A...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Active Citizens Africa Civil Society Development & Aid Economy & Trade Editors' Choice Featured Gender Headlines Health Human Rights Population Poverty & MDGs Projects Regional Categories TerraViva United Nations Women's He Source Type: news