TITLE:
Gender and the Reproductive Rights of Gbagyi Women in North-Central Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Titilayo Cordelia Orisaremi
KEYWORDS:
Gbagyi Women, Gender Relations, Decision Making, Reproductive Rights, Reproductive Health
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.7 No.12,
December
31,
2020
ABSTRACT: The seeming impervious nature of subsisting gender inequality rooted in resilient patriarchal structures in Nigeria act to deny women access to decision-making on reproductive matters. Respect for women’s reproductive rights is crucial to the realization of their reproductive health, yet certain socio-cultural practices hinder the realization of these rights. This qualitative study was aimed at understanding the socio-cultural practices especially gender relations, and their impact on the reproductive rights of Gbagyi women in north-central Nigeria. It investigated gender relations among female and male Gbagyi couples to specifically find out if Gbagyi women: could take a decision on their marital status; could freely choose their spouse or sex partner; could freely discuss and negotiate sex with their spouse/partner; had access to decision making on the number and spacing of children. The study sample was purposively drawn from female and male participants (aged 15 and above) in each of the two selected rural and urban Gbagyi communities. Twenty in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data. Results indicated that unequal gender relations in Gbagyi patriarchal setting negatively influenced the perception, acceptance, respect and promotion of women’s reproductive rights. The study concluded that Gbagyi women were denied part of their fundamental human rights and therefore recommended prioritizing girl-child education and attitudinal change in Gbagyi women’s empowerment.