The sizes of Kenyan families are determined by Mothers in Law

Recently me and my colleagues stumbled upon a very interesting observation, one which we believe should shape the way policymakers address the issue of family planning.

While implementing the Kisumu Medical and Education Trust (KMET) project in Kakamega County aimed at ensuring that women of reproductive age in rural areas have access to family planning services and information, particularly post-birth, we discovered mothers-in-law are the ultimate decision-makers on the number of children most rural households had.

It was a very interesting cultural dynamic in these communities where mothers-in-law held significant influence over the reproductive decisions of their daughters-in-law, including how many children they should have and when they should have them.

While this level of involvement in family planning decisions may be rooted in cultural norms, what surprised me was learning that mothers-in-law were also deciding whether or not their daughters-in-law should use any form of contraception.

This opened my eyes to a cultural barrier we hadn’t fully considered before. This would have to transform how we approached our initiatives designed to empower women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, and to ensure that they have access to the necessary services to support those decisions.

During one of the community dialogue sessions I attended, several women asked if they could bring their mothers-in-law and spouses along to the discussions so that they could receive family planning information directly.

This request made us rethink our implementation strategy. We realized that to effectively reach women, we had to engage the key decision-makers in their lives—often their mothers-in-law. This adjustment in strategy has made a significant impact, allowing us to better tailor our outreach to the cultural realities of the communities we serve.

Read also: Unsafe Abortion, the Silent Maternal Crisis

In my advocacy work, much of our focus has been on ensuring the availability of family planning commodities and securing budget allocations from local authorities to support these efforts.

We've encouraged community participation in public discussions to ensure that family planning is prioritized not only by health officials but also from a demand-driven perspective by the people themselves. We have seen some success in this regard, with community members actively participating in dialogues and advocating for better access to these services.

I also want to acknowledge the strides made by various partners and stakeholders who have contributed to increasing access to family planning information and services.

Many projects are shifting their focus to what women themselves want, rather than imposing what we assume they need. This shift is crucial in ensuring that women feel empowered and respected in their reproductive health decisions.

However, even as we work to address gaps in funding for family planning services—funding that has been reduced in many county budgets—we must also address the cultural practices and misinformation that continue to hinder women from accessing the available family planning methods. Education and awareness are critical in breaking down these barriers, and it is vital that we continue to engage communities in these discussions.

Every individual should have the right to protect their reproductive health and plan their family as they see fit. Access to contraception is essential for bodily autonomy and for enabling people to achieve their full potential. It helps reduce adolescent births, prevent maternal deaths, and furthers gender equality.

For a long time, I have envisioned a world where women have the freedom to make informed, sober decisions about their reproductive health without external pressures. As we mark World Contraceptive Day 2024, let us strive to give women the choice, the freedom to plan, and the power to decide their futures.

The author is a Communication and Advocacy Officer, Kisumu Medical and Education Trust (KMET)

Cindy Aketch

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