Reproductive Health Aspirations and Unmet Needs in Urban Slums in Ibadan and Kaduna, Nigeria: A Qualitative Exploration

Reproductive health issues of urban slum dwellers are among the most challenging in Africa. Studies have generally examined this issue across the rural-urban dichotomy, without specific focus on urban slum dwellers. Many of these studies are also mostly quantitative. We utilize the qualitative approach to fathom the aspirations and challenges of urban dwellers in the domain of reproductive health. The results confirm that they aspire for smaller-sized families and healthy sexual and reproductive lives but are constrained by religious and socio-cultural factors. Idioms associated with their aspiration and experiences were well documented. There is the need to intervene in order to improve the sexual health of urban dwellers

Sexual Health and Sexual Rights within Marriage

Women are more vulnerable to HIV infection than men and are becominginfected at a faster rate. With their limited choices in sexual decisions, a link has been found between gender inequality and the sexual health conditions in many societies. This paper which relies on secondary data source, examines women’s subordinate position in the institution of marriage among the three major tribes, Hausa, Yoruba and Ibos. The paper argues that achieving sexual health which has become imperative with the emergence of the pandemic of Human Immunodefiency Virus (HIV) infection, increased rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), growing recognition of public health concern, with respect to issues such as; gender related violence, and sexual dysfunction, could only be attained in a culture where there is respect for sexual rights and health of women. The paper concludes by stating the effects of persistent violation of women’s sexual rights and the attendantconsequences which include inability of women to assess voluntarycounseling, increased risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections andinability to reduce mother-child transmission of HIV in Nigeria

Widowhood Practices among the Yorubas of South-West Nigeria: Are Differences in what Women Experience due to their Status

This study examined widowhood practices among the Yorubas of South West Nigeria with the aim of investigating whether there are variations in widowhood rites that women experienced based on their social status. The study employed qualitative technique to collect the primary data. A widows Association named “Love fellowship” was used as a platform for selecting the widows involved in this study. Thirty widows were purposively selected such that fifteen (15) of them were not formally educated and not involved in modern industrial labour and the remaining fifteen (15) were formally educated and were involved in modern industrial labour. Data collected were analysis using content analysis and presented thematically. The participants in this study expressed that widowhood practices is observed among the Yorubas in order to protect the woman from being harmed by the spirit of the dead husband, for the woman to prove innocence of the death of her husband and for the husband‟s family to ascertain if the woman had been pregnant as at the time the husband died so that they can claim responsibility and caring for the woman among reasons. It is interesting to found that though, widowhood practices is still in existence among the Yorubas, there are some factors affecting the intensity and feasibility of practicing it. These factors include the educational level and involvement of a woman in modern industrial labour. For instance, it is extremely difficult to compel a woman who is working in Banking sector and other modern bureaucratic setting to be compelled to stay at home for long period of time other than the short period she is allowed by her boss to morn the death of her husband. It is also not feasible to ask such women to wear black cloth for one year as this contradicts the dictate of her work organization. It can therefore be concluded that although widowhood practices still exists and observed by women of different social status, the intensity differs across these social status and the higher the women status, the lesser the intensity of the rites she observed. It is therefore important to empower women as these will serve as security for them against various forms of violence especially widowhood practices. &nbsp

Influence of Independent and Proximate Variables on Condom Use in Selected States in Nigeria

The study examined the influence of individual and proximate factors in determining condom use. Current use of condom and condom use during last sex were used as proxies for consistent condom use. Data on 3,797 sexually active respondents of reproductive age was analyzed from the 2007 USAID-COMPASS midline evaluation on basic family planning and reproductive health outcomes in five Nigerian states. About 9% of respondents were current users, while 11% used a condom during last sex. Younger and more educated respondents were more likely to report condom use. Of the 23 variables, four were statistically significant (