Gender-based studies in Africa and matters arising
Abstract
It is share coincidence that about half of the papers in this issue of the journal focus on gender issues albeit without gender balance as publications on maternal aspects predominated. They
covered cross-cutting issues like gender-based violence in Northwestern Ethiopia; preferred contraception methods in men and/or dislike of vasectomy; ethics of assisted reproduction;
functioning during menopause; blood grouping to cater for transfusion needs in pregnancy and maternal mortality estimates for Nigeria.
Of special interest is the paper by Akinyemi and colleagues on the derivation of maternal mortality estimates from the 2012 National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey. The rate derived using that data gave an all-time low figure of 256 per 100,000. Hitherto, the rates (per 100,000) had hovered between 1200 in 1990 and 560 in 2013 as noted by Akinyemi et al in that paper. The latter study utilized the National Demographic and Health Survey data. The new rates will make Public Health pundits raise their fists in victory that something seems to be working right with regards to reducing the high maternal mortality figures. Whatever these may be, we will like to know. The paper adduced possible explanation for the lower rates in the latest analysis and ended with suggestions on strategies for improving maternal mortality statistics in Nigeria. These include improvement in data collection which requires political will for doing it right and accurately; inclusion of questions on maternal death in census data acquisition and lastly, conduct of national maternal health survey.
A note of caution should be sounded when surveys are being planned because of various confounders. The source of the data is important as well as those involved with data gathering. This is best captured in the words of the British Statistician, Sir Josiah Stamp [1]: “The governments are very keen on amassing statistics – they collect them, add them, raise them to the nth power, take the cube root and prepare wonderful diagrams. But what you must never forget is that every one of those figures comes in the first instance from the village watchman, who puts down what he damn pleases.”
It is anticipated that these set of papers on gender issues will generate discussions and lead to more studies. The journal will publish any reactions or comments on these papers as Letters to the Editor in subsequent issues of the journal. Reawakening interest in gender-based issues will be in line with the realization of some sustainable development goals.
A. Ogunniyi
Editor-in-Chief
References
Stamp J. Some economic factors in modern life. King, London. pp.258-259