Linkages between women's reproductive health/HIV/AIDS/STD behaviors and their participation in civil society

Objective: Research was conducted by The Centre for Development and Population Activities to determine the impact of combining reproductive health education and services and democracy and governance activities on reproductive health KAPB of women of reproductive age. The study also looked at cultural norms affecting traditional roles and factors that influence women's decision making, influential others, prevailing practices and the age of sexual initiation and marriage.

Methodology: This study involved the joint participation of Country Women Association (COWAN) and of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) in Ondo and Plateau States, respectively. The RH/D&G linkage study was conducted in four COWAN local government areas (LGAs) in Ondo and Ekiti States and four COCIN LGAs the Plateau State. One community had both RH and D&G activities; two communities in each study area had either RH or D&G activities; and the fourth community in each study area served as control. Catchment area maps were developed to delineate geographic boundaries within which the linkages between RH and D&G were assessed and analyzed. The study represented the baseline survey of a random sample of women of reproductive age in the four LGAs of both study areas. The survey instrument included questions on reproductive health KAPB, as well as questions pertaining to knowledge of human rights and levels of civic participation and empowerment.

Results: Findings clearly showed that programs linking family planning/reproductive health activities with D/G activities were more effective in increasing use of family planning services than non-linked programs, as demonstrated by COWAN's integrated RH activities, which included community-based distribution (CBD) of socially marketed contraceptives as well as D&G interventions, and by COCIN's D&G programs expanded to include clinic and community based RH interventions.

Presenting author: E. Ifenne, 1400 16th St. NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20003, United States, Tel.: +1 202 939 26 51, Fax: +1 202 332 44 96, E-mail: omclaughlin@cedpa.org