UGANDA: Smaller Families, Manlier Men

NAIROBI (Inter Press Service), April 7, 2008: For Ugandan men, the equation is often a simple one: an abundance of children equals virility and security. This deeply rooted belief has frightening implications, however. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, the population of the East African country -- now 31 million -- will exceed 36 million by 2015, and is projected to reach 54 million in 2025. If this trend continues, it will rocket to 117 million by 2050. Projections are based on the current fertility rate of 6.7 children per woman. At present, the Foundation for Community Development -- a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in the capital, Kampala -- is the only group in Uganda specifically focused on helping men view family size differently. Family planning has traditionally been relegated to women in this country. "Men react almost the same way when you mention anything related to sex: they want to change the topic quickly because it is a private affair," said Amon Mulyowa, a programme officer with the organisation. "When I tell them that a man's strength is not recognised by the many children he has but by the quality of life he provides them, they start to protest. In the process, I get a chance to tell them about the part they should play in family planning," he told IPS during a recent workshop on reproductive health that was held in Kampala by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), a Washington-based NGO. Matters are further complicated by the culture placing a higher value on sons than daughters, prompting parents to continue having children until a son -- preferably several sons -- is born. By Kwamboka Oyaro Copyright © 2008 IPS-Inter Press Service.