MALE ROLE IN FAMILY PLANNING: A CASE STUDY OF OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at investigating into male roles in family planning taking a case study of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. in carrying out the studies the researcher postulated research questions and identified the various problems as affect male participation in family planning such as belief, taboo and sex discrimination. The instrument used was the questionnaire a simple percentage tabulation was used to analyze the data collected, after which recommendations was made based on the findings, stating the need of husband and wife communication in the development of home. Further research concerning role of mass media in family planning ids also necessary.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Family planning is not new in the society; it has been well established in developed countries that those under developed countries could not recognize that they are practicing family planning. It was such in the area of study that when a woman put to bed or deliver a baby she is sent to her mother to nurse the baby for one or two years. The period of stay with her mother was meant to breast feed the baby, aer which she then return to her husband. This way natural child spacing was taking place without relishing it. However, family planning started in Nigeria because of the obvious problems of brutality means (violent) of born and unborn children. These reasons were based on child jumping that is a child that is unwanted can be dump into the street, gutter, mot, some are found in front of orphanage, bush part and to public toilet. In 1954, Adeniyi Jones established the first family planning centre in Nigeria she continue without support until 1969 when pathfinder provide fund to sustain the programme.

Fortunately for her in 1984 the family planning centre of Nigeria (FCN) was further organized for woman for better services. This include provision of family planning methods to improve maternal mortality and those with health risk 1989, president Ibrahim Babagida limited the number of children to 4 (four) per parent or couple, this programme was very good but could not be sustained because of poor service and management. Family planning is the processes of controlling the number of children wanted in a marriage using contraceptive method, oen known as birth control measure Jeoery (2004) also support the view that family planning is a means by which individual or couples space the interval of child birth based on mutual agreement between the husband and wife in order to have children they can conveniently care or adequately cater for. In the word of Gribbe, J. (2008) cited in Mabel Oshomah work he opine that “family planning can be better explained as being a situation where people have children by choice and not by change”, to him the happiness of the family squarely depend on the number of children a family has to cater for. According to World Health Organization (WHO) (2002) conceptive is a drug or device used to prevent woman from getting pregnant., this can sometimes be called birth control according to (FPA) Family Planning Association. It is discussed as a special device that prevent fertilization of egg in the ovum by special device used to limit reproduction, which provide a safe and effective way to regulate fertility of the womb. Family is a unit that comprises of man, wife and children here the man is the head of the family or home he plan and place resources in strategic areas that requires development in the home. If the size of the family determines the happiness of the family according to Gribble .J. (2008), then the male take viable decision as it may affect the health of the family and also look forward to having a family he can carter for. Therefore, he has a role to play in family planning as no man would prefer spending his income on sickness or hospital and feeding of children, without proper education, entertainment, proper nutrition, home that will be suitable and comfortable for the family.

In Mathusian easy on population he opined that population increase in arithmetic progression (2, 6, 8, 12, 24 …) while food increases in geometric progression (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, …). This place a lot of responsibility on family life. He further explained that if population continue to increase it might possible lead to food shortage. Rosen and Conly (1998) opined that “we see the need through family planning to prevent the health risk of frequent child birth and death associated with pregnancy and child birth to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted disease (STD) including HIV/AIDS. Since the call by Gen. Ibrahim Babagida to reduce Nigeria population ratio and to reduce poverty rate, inflation and unemployment. It therefore becomes the need of the man to re-brand, the structure and to plan or position every resources available to achieve maximum living standard of living, by reducing the number of children by means of birth control fertility. FPN (1962). This he can achieve by means of using male contraceptives, female contraceptive, financing, advising and also to join the government to promote the use of contraceptive in Nigeria and the world art large.