Ibrahima Diane, an imam, lectured a group of men in Dakar, the city of Senegal, on a recent evening on the importance of males helping out around the house.
As he explained cleaning his infant and assisting his wife with other tasks, the 53-year-old remarked, “The Prophet himself says a man who does not help support his wife and children is not a good Muslim.”
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Not entirely convinced, a few of the 14 men laughed. Others cheered.
Diane was participating in a program called “School for Husbands,” which is supported by the UN and teaches respected men in the community about positive masculinity in social and health concerns so they can advocate for them in their communities.
Men frequently have the last word in important household choices, particularly those pertaining to health, in Senegal and many other West African nations with sizable rural or conservative populations.
In addition to hospital deliveries or prenatal care, women may require their consent to make life-altering decisions about accessing family planning or other reproductive health treatments.
Diane frequently delivers sermons during Friday prayers after his lessons at the school for husbands. In these sermons, he addresses topics related to gender and reproductive health, ranging from combating HIV stigma to gender-based abuse.
“My sermons are appreciated by many women,” he remarked. They claim that since attending them, their spouses’ behavior has changed. According to him, some men have informed him that the sermons have motivated them to be more considerate fathers and husbands.
A 60-year-old former army commando named Habib Diallo claimed that he learned about the dangers of home births by listening to the sermons and having conversations with the imam.
According to Diallo, I urged my son to take his pregnant wife to the hospital so that she may give birth. He hesitated at first. He didn’t trust the hospital and was concerned about the expense. But he agreed when I told him how much safer it would be for his wife and the kid.
No more barking orders
The Ministry of Women, Family, Gender, and Child Protection has taken notice of the initiative since it began in Senegal in 2011 and believes it is a successful approach to reducing maternal and newborn mortality.
According to Aida Diouf, 54, a female health professional who works with the initiative, “attitudes regarding maternal health won’t change without men’s involvement.” According to her, many husbands would rather their women not receive medical care from men.
The husbands’ classes are in line with similar initiatives in other African nations, especially Niger, Togo, and Burkina Faso, where the UN Population Fund reports that it increased male participation, increased both male and female contraceptive use, and increased access to skilled birth attendants and prenatal care, thereby improving women’s access to reproductive health services.
The rights of females, equality, and the negative consequences of female genital mutilation have also been discussed from a male perspective.
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More than 300 men have been taught by the organization, which currently runs more than 20 schools throughout Senegal.
According to Senegal’s ministry of gender, males who formerly upheld patriarchal standards are now advocating for gender equality in some areas, which has decreased the incidence of forced marriages and increased support for family planning.
Following their recruitment on the basis of commitment, trust, and leadership, men join the groups. Candidates must be married, well-liked in the community, and supportive of the rights and health of women.
Following training, the guys hold casual conversations and visit houses as peer educators.
My husband used to basically bark commands and accomplish very nothing around the house. According to 52-year-old Khary Ndeye, he now genuinely assists with everyday chores and cooks.
Still too many dying in childbirth
Although there has been a decrease in maternal and infant mortality in Senegal in the last ten years, experts believe there is still much work to be done. In 2023, there were 237 maternal fatalities for every 100,000 live births, and 21 newborn deaths for every 1,000 within the first month of life. By 2030, the U.N. hopes to lower neonatal fatalities to less than 12 per 1,000 and maternal deaths to 70 per 100,000 live births.
According to El Hadj Malick, one of the coordinators of the Senegal program, one major issue was that a lot of women were giving birth at home.
“You’re protecting people’s health by teaching men the value of helping their wives during pregnancy, taking them to the hospital, and helping with household chores at home,” Malick added.
He claimed that he still has trouble altering people’s perspectives on certain matters.
According to Malick, there can occasionally be friction when we simply discuss gender with children because it is perceived as something abstract or even alien. Mistakenly, some males think that this kind of conversation will advance LGBTQ+ issues, which are still mostly taboo in West Africa.
However, focusing on women’s health rights gives the idea a human face and makes it universal, Malick stated.
