Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Women in Different Life Stages in Nairobi
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Development. Copyright © 1999 The Society for International Development. SAGE Publications (London, Thousand Oaks, CA and New Delhi), 1011-6370 (199903) 42:1; 70–72; 007346.
SID On-line Dialogue
Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Women in Different Life Stages in Nairobi CECILIA KINUTHIANJENGA
ABSTRACT Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga looks at the impact of urbanization on economically poor women of different life stages in slum areas in Nairobi. She argues that the breakdown in social and family traditions is leading to poor sexual and reproductive health.
This article is based on the findings of the SID research project on women’s empowerment, reproductive health and population policy which was carried out using participatory methodologies, specifically through focus group discussions with women from different life stages (adolescents: 12–19; youth: 20–30; middle-age: 31–45; elderly: 45+). The discussions focused on how information on reproductive health is acquired at each stage in life, attitudinal influences on acquisition and the use of knowledge and the dominant practices in each community. The discussions explored the women’s views on health and reproductive choices, mainly focusing on the following issues: sexual behaviour, early pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, access to counselling services and menopause. Life in Kenya In Kenyan life the family was traditionally the key institution for socialization and the spread of information on reproductive health issues. Traditional gender division of tasks assigned clear rights and responsibilities among men and women at each stage in life. It also created a structured way of inter-generational transfer of information. In the case of girls in most Kenyan communities, the aunts have been responsible for passing relevant information on sex, reproduction and childcare, while the various rites of passage also provided opportunities for men to learn their responsibilities through inter-age-set interaction. Urbanization presents a dramatic change in the organization of most African societies, and has led to a breakdown of the social institutions and a slow emergence of other forms of social regulation. In particular the pressure of cash
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Kinuthia-Njenga: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Women in Nairobi economy, decline in social solidarity and identity have disrupted family structures. Consequently, all forms of inter-generational interaction and transfer of knowledge have collapsed while the modern methods of information sharing are inadequate, and often inappropriate to the local situation. In the poor neighbourhoods, modern means of information dissemination especially through media have limited application for a variety of reasons. First, income levels prohibit wide use of both electronic and printed media. Second, crowded living conditions limit the extent to which families can share such things as radios or newspapers, which are often monopolized by men. Third, in neighbourhoods, ente
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