African Journal of Gender and Women Studies

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Gender role and fertility behaviour among Calabar and Oban communities in Cross River State, Nigeria

M. A. Ushie¹, C. V. O. Eneji²*, A. D. Nsemo¹, K. O. Osonwa¹ and E. E. Enang¹

¹Department of Sociology, University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

²Deparment of Rural Development and Management, College of Humanities and Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.

Accepted 28 August, 2018

Abstract

Discussions on fertility behaviour and population control policies have focused exclusively on the behaviour of females, and often target women for change while disregarding the role of the males. The inability of the national population policies to address this while at the same time encouraging patriarchal family system for the stability of the home seems to support this neglect. This study thus, examined male role and other determinants of fertility behaviour in Calabar and Oban areas of Cross River State, Nigeria. It focused on type of marriage preferred, educational attainment, decision on children marriage and socioeconomic determinants as they influence marital values. A simple random technique was used to select a sample of 500 respondents from the two areas (Calabar and Oban) a well structured questionnaire was used as instrument for collecting data while descriptive statistics and percentage analysis were used to analyse the data. Findings reveal that a higher percentage of male favoured polygamy, that low educational attainment, socioeconomic and parental decision on children marriage justifies male role on fertility and marital values. It was recommended among others that adequate attention be paid to male role, if fertility control policies are to be realized; that adequate education and enlightenment be located to both the educated and non-educated populace, that child early marriage be controlled, the consents of the children to be so involved in the marriage should be taken into consideration since they are to be directly involved in this marriage adventure.

Key words: gender role, fertility behaviour, reproductive behaviour, and fertility determinants.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Socio-cultural factors that perpetuate the spread of HIV among women and girls in Keiyo District, Kenya

Georgine Jebet Kemboi¹, Kennedy Onkware¹* and Omosa Mogambi Ntabo²

¹Deparment of Peace and Conflict Studies, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya.

²Deparment of Criminology and Social Work, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya.

Accepted 09 August, 2018

Abstract 

The human immuno- deficiency virus (HIV) pandemic is still ravaging, after the first case was diagnosed more than twenty years ago. Women are disproportionally affected, in 2008/2009 HIV prevalence among women was twice as high as that for men at 8 and 4.3% respectively (NACC, 2009). The aim of the study was to investigate the socio-cultural factors and risk perceptions that pre-dispose women and girls to the spread of HIV in Keiyo district, Kenya. The study further sought to determine the adverse effects of HIV on the livelihoods of the women and girls and also assessed the contribution of the government and NGOs in taming HIV. The study targeted women and girls in reproductive age (15 to 49). Kamariny and Metkei divisions were purposely sampled for the study. Two locations were further purposely sampled from the two divisions and basing on the number of house holds in each of the locations 98 females in reproductive ages were randomly selected. The key informants including the district medical officer, divisional education officers, leaders of CBOs, women group leaders and youth group leaders were purposely sampled and interviewed. Questionnaires, interview schedules and focused group discussions were employed. Secondary data was also used to supplement the primary data. Data was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively and data presented in the form of frequency distribution tables, pie charts and graphs. In logic, assumption have in place that better- educated people have better access to information about HIV, how it is transmitted, and how it can be avoided and that inadequate or total lack of information on retrogressive socio- cultural factors perpetuating HIV spread leads to ‘knowledge gap’. The study revealed that most women beyond the ages of thirty one years have the perception that they are least at risk to HIV infection as compared to the younger females (girls). Majority of the respondents (60%) associated FGM with HIV spread. Thirty one (31%) of the respondents pointed out that FGM is a step from childhood to adulthood. Forty percent pointed out that removal of the clitoris reduces libido in a bid to prevent promiscuity and 23.5% believed that the clitoris is a source of deviant behaviour. Concerning the effect of HIV on women and girls, majority of the respondents (80.6%) admitted that HIV leads to greater burden in the household income and 77.6% of the respondents thought that HIV infection or AIDS related deaths among women leads to loss of family income. Illiteracy was rated as the highest (95%) cause of women vulnerability to HIV infection followed by Poverty and FGM at 93 and 70% respectively. The study recommends that adequate resources be availed to support the capacity of women and girls to lead change on HIV through knowledge. There should be pro active leadership to ensure that women and girls are free from physical, sexual and psychological abuse especially stemming from negative socio-cultural practices.

Key words: Female genital mutilation, human immune-deficiency virus, HIV prevance, socio-cultural.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Challenges and experiences of women in the forestry sector in Nepal

Maria Elisa Christie¹* and Kalpana Giri²

¹Office of International Research, Education and Development, Virginia Tech, 526 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA.

²Forest Action Nepal, Satdobato, Lalitpur, P. O. Box: 12207, Nepal. 

Accepted 08 September, 2018

Abstract

This article asks why there are relatively few women at the Institute of Forestry (IOF) and in the field of forestry in Nepal. It explores the obstacles to entering and succeeding in this male-dominated field from women’s perspectives, and makes recommendations for increasing their participation. Based on “focus group discussions” and interviews with nearly 50 women, the authors considered issues of power and participation relevant to the gendered experience and profession of forestry in Nepal. Obstacles ranged from socio-cultural biases against women, to harassment during field trips, to being assigned purely administrative duties in the workplace. The article draws on theoretical approaches to gender in organizations, masculinities, and gendered knowledge. It calls for equitable, institutional transformation at the IOF that would in turn help graduates to better address social aspects of forestry.

Key words: Gender, masculinities, equity, women’s narratives, forestry, inclusion, institute of forestry, Nepal.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Gendering of work and its implications on youth sexuality in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Francisca Isi Omorodion

Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, N9B 3P4. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 12 November, 2018

Abstract

This paper examines the nature of gendering work among youth living in two oil-producing communities, Gelegele and Ogulagha of Nigeria, and its implications on youth sexuality, in terms of their perception and use of condom and HIV/AIDS. Data collection techniques used includes observation and in-depth interviews with ten youth from Gelegele and fifteen youth from Ogulagha, from January to April 2003. A total of 25 youth, fifteen females and ten males, participated in this data collection. Prior to each interview, we obtained verbal consent from volunteers. Data analyses started with verbatim translation and transcriptions. Transcriptions were read and re-read several times to identify the major themes and content analysis undertaken by the researcher. We obtained records of timeline for the economic activities of consenting youth. It was found that gendering work in these communities led to more female youth in the traditional occupations of trading, fishing and commercial sex work, while male youth with or without formal education either worked in the oil servicing companies or were on “standby” pay. Male youth earned higher income, which privileges males and reduces the power of female youth to negotiate sex and condom use. It was concluded that Empowering youth through formal education and equal job opportunities in these communities will promote quality of life by discouraging exchange of sex for wealth and promoting the use of condom.

Key words: Gender, work, youth and oil-producing communities, Nigeria.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 3 (6), pp. 194-201, June, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Tenofovir and lamivudine in late pregnancy to prevent perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus in highly viremic mothers in Vietnam

Nguyen Van Bang¹, Le Thi Lan Anh¹, Nguyen Thi Van Anh², Vu Tuong Van³, Philippe Halfon⁴ and Marc Bourlière⁵

¹Department of Pediatrics, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam.

²Department of Medical Education/Skills Lab,Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam.

³Department of Microbilogy, Machmai Hospital, Vietnam.

⁴AlphaBio Labo, European Hospital, Marseille, France

⁵Department of Gastro-hepatology, Saint Joseph Hospital, Marseille, France.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 14 July, 2014

Abstract

We evaluated effect and safety of lamivudine and tenofovir in late pregnancy for preventing perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to infants born to highly viremic mothers. A total of 82 pregnant chronic HBsAg(+) women with high viremia (>10⁷ copies/mL) at 32 weeks of gestation were randomly located in 2 groups (lamivudine 100mg or tenofovir 300mg daily for 8 weeks of prepartum to week 4 pospartum). Infants received recombinant HBV vaccine without HBIg and were followed until week 52. We noted a sharp decrease of mean maternal viral load from 5.09 x 10⁸ ± 3.19 x 10⁸ copies/mL at week 32 of gestation to 1.13 x 10⁶ ± 3.91 x 10 ⁶ at labor (p<0.001) with 2 undetectable HBV DNA cases (2.4%). The viral load reduction was stronger in tenofovir-treated mothers than in lamivudine-treated ones (p<0.028), particularly in 4 log₁₀ reduction (p<0.001). At birth, HBsAg was positive in 21/82 (25.6%) and HBV DNA detectable in 7/82 newborns (8.5%). At week 52, HBsAg and HBV DNA was present in serum of 2/82 infants (2.4%). Both tenofovir and lamivudine in late pregnancy showed the same safety and strikingly reduced perinatal transmission of HBV to infants born to highly viremic mothers.

Key Words: Hepatitis B virus, mother-to-child perinatal transmission, highly viremic women, lamivudine, tenofovir; late pregnancy.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 3 (6), pp. 181-185, June, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Intestinal infections and anaemia among pregnant women in Ghana

Sambo D. A^1*, Presely F. A¹, Van E. Morgan² and Obahor Cyril²

¹Department of Clinical Microbiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.

²Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 02 November, 2014

Abstract

There was an important connection stuck between hookworm infection and low iron stores. The study concluded that hookworm infection is a strong predictor of iron status. These findings buttress the need to make available anthelminthic therapy to infected women before conception as a public health strategy in reducing the incidence of hookworm infection, and also to make available nutritional and iron supplements to successfully control anaemia in pregnancy. Intestinal helminths are among the most common and widespread of human infections, contributing to poor nutritional status, anaemia and impaired growth. Anaemia and iron deficiency in pregnancy is a major public health issues in developing countries, but their causes are not always known. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of anaemia and iron deficiency and their association with helminths, among pregnant women in Ghana.

Key words: Anaemia, helminths, iron deficiency, primigravids, infestation.