AFRO-NETS> Family Planning Use in Mali and Zimbabwe

[Barbara Barnett <BBarnett@rtp-exchange.fhi.org>]

Family Planning Use in Mali and Zimbabwe
----------------------------------------

The impact of family planning on women's participation in the develop-
ment process and new users' experience with contraception are the focus 
of studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa by the Women's Studies Proj-
ect (WSP) at Family Health International (FHI). The studies were con-
ducted as part of a five-year research effort to examine the impact of 
family planning methods and services on various aspects of women's 
lives, including autonomy, self-esteem, family relationships, and 
workforce participation.

Three studies were conducted in Zimbabwe to explore women's participa-
tion in the development process. Among the findings were that, although 
women's family planning use has increased and their family size de-
creased, women still remain only minor players in the country's socio-
economic development. Researchers also learned that women and men have 
similar views of what constitutes quality of life, including mutual re-
spect between wives and husbands in decisions about family size. Cou-
ples said access to family planning enhances their quality of life by 
allowing them greater control over the family's economic resources and 
time.

In Mali, first-time contraceptive users were interviewed to gain a bet-
ter understanding of their experiences with contraceptive use. This 
small study found that women often enlist the aid of sisters-in-law or 
other older female family members to convince husbands to accept family 
planning. Support for contraceptive use was not widespread among hus-
bands, and the majority of men insisted that women should use family 
planning only with husbands' permission.

More details about these studies can be found on FHI's web site:
http://www.fhi.org

A copy of "Women's Voices, Women's Lives: The Impact of Family Planning" 
can also be found on the web site. This publication synthesises find-
ings from all 26 field studies in the WSP's 10 countries. To obtain a 
printed copy of the synthesis report, write to:

Publications Co-ordinator
Family Health International
PO Box 13950
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
Fax: +1-919-544-7261

--
Barbara Barnett
Principal Research Writer
Family Health International
Tel: +1-919-544-7040, Ext. 482 
Fax: +1-919-544-7261 
mailto:bbarnett@fhi.org
http://www.fhi.org




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