Women’s Decision-Making, Agency and Gender Norms Related to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Niger

Hidayatou Mohamadou, EVIHDAF - Evidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africa.
Sarah Smith, UCSD-GEH
Angela Odiachi, EVIHDAF
Michèle Signe , EVIHDAF
Emma Woks, EVIHDAF
Balki Agali, GRADE Africa
Metti Temesghen, Save The Children
Shamsi Kazimbaya, Equimundo
John G. Cleland, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
Jean Christophe Fotso, EVIHDAF

Unequitable access to resources and opportunities for men and women, fostered by gender norms influence sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Our primary objective is to explore women’s decision-making, agency and gender norms related to seeking and utilizing family planning. We used a mixed-methods approach and conducted 24 in-depths interviews that included social network elicitation and 40 FGDs among married women, married men, and mothers-in-law, in Zinder, Niger. Analysis was performed using Nvivo and R software. Women’s decision-making process encompasses by informing, raising awareness to convince the husband, consultation within the couple, and finally the husband’s authorization. A husband's authorization remains an injunctive norm and transgressing it, is sanctioned by divorce. For fear of the husband's refusal, women decide solely and secretly to use contraceptive to safeguard their health. Engagement and better understanding of the importance of family planning by men can enhance changes in gender norms and women’s decision-making power.