MALI: FERTILITY & DEVELOPMENT

Juveeza Chadha

Slawa Rokicki

Brittany Seymour Brooks

Surendra Sharma

GHP – 272, HSPH, 12/06/10

DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY:THE MALIAN CONTEXT

Poverty reduction through development is government’s number one priority

High Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 7 Wealth Flow Theory of Fertility: Traditional family

structure evolving towards a modern family model Fertility rate not explicit policy priority Social aspects: socioeconomic status, gender

ratios, opportunities, family planning direct causes???

Recent shift: health, education, micro-finance Tracking success through more refined indicators

SUCCESS DELAYED:FERTILITY RATE CHALLENGES

Fertility desire needs addressing Predominantly rural/ agricultural

economy vulnerable to climate shocks More children = more labor and more

security Strong cultural preference for males Predominantly male heads of households

(89%) Less than 60% of girls receive 1°

education 83% of women are illiterate Inadequate family planning services CEDAW ratified, but to what effect?

MALIFERTILITY AND POPULATION POLICYPOLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

Brittany Seymour

Juveeza Chadha

Slawa Rokicki

Surendra Sharma

GHP- 272 HSPH

Six – point agenda for the government of Mali:

1. Educational initiatives1. Promote girl’s education by promoting

enrolment and completion of primary education for girls from below 60% to 75% over next 5 years, with an ultimate goal of 100%

2. Encourage secondary and higher education for girls

3. Vocational training courses for females

e.g. Nursing and Community health worker courses.

2. Economic initiatives

1. Promote microfinancing for women - increase enrolment by 10% each year

2. Encourage female participation in work force Jobs for women such as health care industry (nurses, trained birth attendants, community health workers), teaching, etc.

3. Health sector initiatives1. Encourage decentralization of health care

services, make it more responsive to local needs

2. Improve access to Health care facility by Decreasing distance needed to travel Periodic visits by specialists to rural areas Expand network of health care workers (females) in rural

area

3. Improve maternal and child health services Increase ANC care enrolment from current 54% - 75 % over

5 yr Increase attended delivery rate from 54% - 75% 100% coverage with DPT 3 immunization by 1 year of age Increase access to contraceptive services in rural areas

4. Other Infrastructure initiatives Better roads, especially those connecting rural – rural,

rural – urban areas, will fosters economic growth and increase access to both information and services in urban centers

Increase access to cell phones and its better use in delivering care such as ‘Ghana’s ambulances for rural areas’

5. Better co-ordination with donor agencies

will prevent duplication of programs and ensure better utilization of resources

6. Monitoring and Evaluation

Comprehensive disease surveillance system – e.g. ANC care services via CHWs, under the leadership of area MOs and Nurses.

Better community participation and Mid – Course Correction.

“Decentralization is crucial for effective implementation”

Thank you….