in many parts of the world, growing populations are leading to a
scarcity of all manner of resources, including living space, food, fresh
water, and infrastructure. Though much of the world has reduced
population growth through sex education, increased access to
contraceptives, and family planning, many nations still exhibit patterns
of unsustainable growth. This is often contributed to by low access to
education and health care facilities by their female population, and
cultural preferences for large families. With such considerations in
mind, we look at some of the countries with the lowest rates of
contraceptive use of all kinds by women today. The data presented is
based on all forms of contraceptives used as reported on UNICEF
household surveys, and includes married and unmarried women that are
sexually active.
10. Ghana (34% of sexually active women)
The African country of Ghana
is home to approximately 27 million people. The population is made up
of such indigenous ethnic groups as the Akan, Dagbani, Ewe, Ca-Adangbe,
Gurma, Guan, Gurunsi, and Bissa peoples. Despite its universal health
care system, sex education is still very much lacking in this low income
country. According to the World Factbook in 2010, Ghana’s infant
mortality rate was 38.5 deaths per thousand births, with a mortality
rate for mothers of 350 per thousand. Among the reasons most women in
Ghana choose not to use any of a variety of contraceptive methods
include misinformation and fears of potential side effects, as well as
long standing cultural beliefs and traditions.
9. Uganda (30% of sexually active women)
Uganda is located in Africa, and shares borders with the countries of South Sudan, Rwanda, Congo,
and Tanzania. Throughout recent years , Uganda has faced outbreaks of
diseases such as HIV and Ebola. Because of the low rates of
contraception use in the nation, women in Uganda face health risks not
only due to unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortion procedures, but
also in terms of elevated incidences of mother and baby birth-related
deaths. According to the Ugandan Ministry of Health, in 2008 26% of
maternal mortalities were a result of unsafe abortions. Problems
involving limited access to contraceptives, and a lack of proper sex
education, are significant obstacles there, especially in regards to
those women living in the nation’s isolated rural regions.
8. Ethiopia (29% of sexually active women)
The country of Ethiopia
occupies an area of approximately 425,000 square miles and lies in the
Horn of Africa. In 2015, its population was estimated to be almost 100
million. The nation came to international attention in the 1980s after a
devastating series of famines struck. HIV has also become a major
health issue in Ethiopia, as well as such widespread problems as
malnutrition, lack of drinkable water, and inadequate sanitary
conditions. Furthermore, the country has a high rate of mother and
infant mortality rates, which are due in part to the fact that even
today most women usually give birth at home rather than in hospitals.
Local residents have also been influenced by the powerful Ethiopian
Orthodox church, which prohibited what it deems as “faithful” women from
using contraceptives such as birth control pills or intrauterine
devices.
7. Cameroon (23% of sexually active women)
Cameroon is an African country which borders Nigeria, Chad, the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Central African Republic.
The nation is governed by the President and his Cameroon People's
Democratic Movement party. The health care system is lacking there and
largely ineffective, with the World Health Organization reporting that
the country suffers from a shortage of doctors, nurses, and other
healthcare professionals. Among the many diseases plaguing Cameroon's
populace today include malaria, meningitis, HIV, and dengue fever. Women
in Cameroon must also deal with gender related issues, such as the
harmful practices of genital mutilation and breast ironing. As in many
areas in Africa, many residents in this nation prefer to rely on
traditional healers rather than on Western medicine to address their
health care needs, often with negative consequences.
6. Afghanistan (21% of sexually active women)
Afghanistan
is located in Western Asia, and has a long and storied history. As an
Islamic nation, religion plays a major role in the everyday lives of its
citizens. Strict rules imposed by the tenets of the Muslim belief
system are used in order to govern and control Afghani society, as well
as the individual behavior of its citizens. Strict adherence to these
religious laws is mandatory. Sadly, according to the World Factbook,
Afghanistan has the highest infant death rate in the entire world. In
2015, it was estimated that about 115 babies per thousand died before
reaching the age of one year. The country’s Ministry of Public Health
has acknowledged that rates of maternal deaths are also high and efforts
are needed to improve the situation.
5. Senegal (18% of sexually active women)
Senegal is located in western Africa. Its official language is French, which is due to its roots as a colony of France.
Religion plays a major role in Senegal, with most of its residents
identifying as either Sunni or Sufi Muslims. The lack of contraceptive
use by local women has been blamed on cultural factors inherent to the
local Islamic practices, as well as concerns relating to the possibility
of a number of serious side effects. "Imams", or Muslim religious
leaders, hold a great deal of power in terms of shaping public opinion
on birth control issues there. In urban areas such as the capital city
of Dakar, women tend to have an average of five children each whereas
the birth rate goes up to six or more in rural regions.
4. Nigeria (15% of sexually active women)
Nigeria is sometimes called the “Giant of Africa”. In recent years,
the country has been in the news due to the numerous attacks and the
large scale kidnapping of girls that it has endured at the hands of the
terrorist group Boko Haram. Health care in Nigeria is considered the
shared responsibility of the government as well as the private sector.
Factors such as poverty, lack of access to contraception, and poor sex
education all play roles in reasons why so many Nigerian women don't use
birth control. In 2012, the President of Nigeria urged the citizens of
his country to take efforts in order to limit the size of their
families. The government’s National Population Commission has been
mandated to educate the populace about contraceptives and various types
of birth control methods.
3. Equatorial Guinea (13% of sexually active women)
As its name implies, Equatorial Guinea is a nation located near the
equator in the central portion of Africa. Despite having rich reserves
of oil, poverty, a lack of clean water, and high child mortality rates
are all major issues facing the small nation. Human rights abuses,
including such serious problems as human trafficking and forced labor,
are also at the forefront of Equatorial Guinea’s turbulent political
climate. Because contraceptive use is low in the country, the fertility
rate in Equatorial Guinea
stands at about four and a half children per woman. Other
health-related issues threatening the country’s population include
diseases such as HIV, malaria, Yellow Fever, Rabies, Polio, and
Schistosomiasis.
2. Mozambique (12% of sexually active women)
Mozambique can be found in southeastern Africa. The country’s official language is Portuguese due to its former status as a colony of Portugal.
Despite this, however, most local residents speak native languages,
such as Sena, Swahili, and Makhuwa. Mozambique is considered to be one
of the poorest countries in the world, with an economy based largely on
its traditional agricultural industry. More than half of its population
of 24.5 million live in poverty. In 2009, the non-profit organization
DKT Mozambique began a mission to educate and encourage the use of
condoms and other methods of contraception among the local populations.
They work to provide citizens with much needed access to counseling and
family planning resources. On average, women in Mozambique give birth to
six children, with their first pregnancy typically occurring before the
age of 20.
1. Mauritania (11% of sexually active women)
Mauritania
is an African country with a population of over four million. Among the
various human rights abuses plaguing this Islamic nation are high rates
of slavery, child labor, and female genital mutilation. Mauritania
serves as an example of a country where all of the typical obstacles are
in place in order to prevent female citizens there from accessing and
using contraceptives. Many of these are relate to longstanding social
and cultural misconceptions and myths. High rates of poverty, a large
rural population, lack of proper heath care facilities, deeply
entrenched religious beliefs, and a profound shortage of education and
information regarding sexual health and reproduction all contribute to
the low rates of contraceptive use seen among Mauritanian women still
today.
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