Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Sexual & Reproductive Health: the Roles of Traditional Institutions among the Borana Pastoralists of Oromiya, Southern Ethiopia
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Date
2006-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Sexual and Reproductive Health conditions account for a substantial portion of the global
burden of disease. But, for women in reproductive years the burden of SRH conditions is
far higher than any other category of illness. Unfortunately, for women in sub-Saharan
Africa the SRH conditions are much worse and alarming. According to the MDGs by
2015 the child mortality rate would be reduced by two-thirds, MMR would be reduced by
three-quarters and HIV/AIDS epidemic have halted or began to reverse. Traditional
beliefs and practices exist in all areas of life, including reproduction and sexuality.
However, little is known about the social and cultural factors affecting SRH and the RH
needs of pastoralist communities in Ethiopia such as Borana who have a distinct sociocultural
make-up compared to the mainstream farming highland population. Besides, the
roles of traditional institutions such as the Gada and Gumi in SRH promotion are not well
established and priorities in RH care not well documented. In these regards, the beliefs,
values, and norms that underpin the socio-cultural factors that affect SRH, the roles of
Traditional institutions in the promotion of SRH and priorities in the RH care should be
explored.
An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in the lowland districts of Borana and
Guji zones in January and February 2006. Interviews with focus groups and key
informants, observations, and secondary data collection were used as data collection
techniques. The Participants in FGDs and individual in-depth interviews were selected
purposively. FGD participants were homogenous, were as key informants were
hetrogenous and selected using snowball sampling techniques. The data was analyzed
manually in the field and using computer soft wares.
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SRH norms, rules, and regulations were identified. Sexual relationships are highly
regulated and subject to certain restrictions. Sexual relation is forbidden with a woman or
man, who belongs to the generation ‘Gada grade’ of one’s father or one’s son, or who
belongs to one’s clan, or who has uterine and kinship relations. Girls must remain chaste
and virgin before marriage; breastfeeding women must abstain from sexual intercourse
while breastfeeding were among the salient sexual norms identified. There are strict rules
and regulations against individuals who contravene the customs and laws of Borana
known as Aada-Seera Borana. Jaala-Jaalto is an extramarital sexual relationship between
married women and men. It is unlawful but tolerated and condoned by the society. Social
factors that affect the SRH include among others, rampant consumption and sale of a
local liquor “Arake’, religious crusades and education against the customs and laws,
dramatic increase in urban-rural interaction, and conflict and militarization. There is a
huge gap between the RH needs and the RH services rendered by stakeholders and actors
in the area.
Traditional institutions in Borana society are still viable and have significant influence
over the lives of the Borana people. These institutions play vital roles in the promotion of
positive cultural behaviors, and have started playing significant roles in the prohibition
and abandonment of practices identified as harmful by external development actors.
Recommendations made were to recognize and empower traditional institutions as
potential partners in the promotion of SRH especially in the fight against HIV/AIDS and
eradication of harmful RH practices, and actions to be taken to improve the SRH service
delivery in the area.
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Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Sexual & Reproductive Health