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  • Title: A blessing from the gods?
    Author: Irere M.
    Journal: Dev Forum; 1984 Apr; 12(3):5. PubMed ID: 12339508.
    Abstract:
    Population growth and the question of whether to curb it is one of the most controversial subjects in Africa. Only a few African countries have official population policies, possibly because most Africans view human reproduction as a personal concern. They resent government advice about how and when to procreate. In traditional, male-dominated African societies a man's social stature is determined to a great extent by the number of children he has -- the more the better. In addition, having a large number of children (say more than 7 or 8, by 1 wife) also means that a man's security in old age is guaranteed. Each child, on becoming an adult, is expected to look after his/her parents. In rural Africa, the number of children also determines the level of economic productivity within a household. There are also many men in Africa who work in towns and cities but whose "proper" homes, where their families live, are in the rural areas. For these men, the urge to have as many children as possible is determined by the same reasons of pride, security, and manpower. Among urban dwellers, there still exists a deep-rooted tendency to have as many children as possible, but the realities of housing a large family in a city or town has emerged as a strong deterrent to having large families. Possible the single most important factor affecting fertility in Africa today is the emergence of women as independent human beings, rather than their husbands' chattels. This independence will continue to change the relationship between African men and women. It is born of women's ability to earn a living independently of their husbands. A married woman who has 2 or 3 children and a job is bound to resist strongly all efforts by her husband to increase her family. A job gives a woman a feeling of security, particularly in these days when divorce is an everyday reality. Such women are afraid to use contraception behind their husbands' backs. Thurs, it has become a common occurrence to see married women waiting to see their gynecologists to try to get abortions, which are illegal in most African countries. The current high fertility rates in Africa will be lowered by the changing attitudes women have toward themselves, their men, and their combined and separate futures.
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