Feminization and Stigmatization of Infertility in Malawi (Record no. 72389)
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| fixed length control field | 03866naaaa2200289uu 4500 |
| 001 - CONTROL NUMBER | |
| control field | https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/47494 |
| 005 - DATE AND TIME OF LATEST TRANSACTION | |
| control field | 20220220070828.0 |
| 020 ## - INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BOOK NUMBER | |
| International Standard Book Number | books.iheid.7597 |
| 020 ## - INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BOOK NUMBER | |
| International Standard Book Number | 9782940600168 |
| 024 7# - OTHER STANDARD IDENTIFIER | |
| Standard number or code | 10.4000/books.iheid.7597 |
| Terms of availability | doi |
| 041 0# - LANGUAGE CODE | |
| Language code of text/sound track or separate title | English |
| 042 ## - AUTHENTICATION CODE | |
| Authentication code | dc |
| 100 1# - MAIN ENTRY--PERSONAL NAME | |
| Personal name | Boetumelo Julianne Nyasulu |
| Relationship | auth |
| 245 10 - TITLE STATEMENT | |
| Title | Feminization and Stigmatization of Infertility in Malawi |
| 260 ## - PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC. | |
| Name of publisher, distributor, etc. | Graduate Institute Publications |
| 506 0# - RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS NOTE | |
| Terms governing access | Open Access |
| Source of term | star |
| Standardized terminology for access restriction | Unrestricted online access |
| 520 ## - SUMMARY, ETC. | |
| Summary, etc. | The World Health Organization defines infertility as the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular and unprotected sex (WHO, 1975). Despite research that has shown that 50 per cent of infertility cases can be attributed to the male partner, in many societies the blame is cast on the woman, her voice silenced, and any action taken by the man deemed justifiable. Infertility affects millions of people across Sub-Saharan Africa, and in a socio-cultural context where children are valued as a source of wealth for the family, perceived infertility can result in neglect, abuse, marital instability, banishment, discrimination and social stigma (Barden-O’Fallon, 2005). The topic of infertility is often considered to be a taboo subject, with women being accused of witchcraft, prior abortions or prostitution. Malawi is a small country in Central-East Africa, bordered by Tanzania and Mozambique, with a population of 18 million, 85 percent of which resides in rural areas. Similarly to other countries in the region, fertility is highly desired and valued. Malawi’s total fertility rate (TFR) has declined over the years, but still sits relatively high, at 5.49 children per woman as of 2017 (Index Mundi, 2018). In demographic discourse, this declining fertility rate is often celebrated as a sign of the country moving towards a more industrialized economic system. However, this rhetoric on demographic transition invisibilizes the social and psychological consequences of infertility, experienced in varying contexts. This thesis will examine the social stigmatization and feminization of infertility in Malawi, and specifically how stigma is understood and managed in the context of socio-cultural perceptions of infertility, within the local ecology of Malawi, as well as its effect on lived experiences and gender identities. Data was collected from four participant groups – infertile women, religious leaders, health workers, and community members through interviews, discussion groups, and informal conversation. The empirical findings demonstrate that infertility does not exist solely as a biological or physiological condition, requiring a biomedical approach, but rather encompasses emotional, social, cultural, religious and economic spheres. As such, the approach to infertility response must also include these spheres, focusing not only on preventive measures but also addressing stigma, patriarchal structures, gender inequality, poverty, and sexual and reproductive health knowledge. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Vahabzadeh Foundation for financially supporting the publication of best works by young researchers of the Graduate Institute, giving a priority to those who have been awarded academic prizes for their master’s dissertations. |
| 540 ## - TERMS GOVERNING USE AND REPRODUCTION NOTE | |
| Terms governing use and reproduction | Creative Commons |
| Use and reproduction rights | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
| Source of term | cc |
| -- | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
| 546 ## - LANGUAGE NOTE | |
| Language note | English |
| 653 ## - INDEX TERM--UNCONTROLLED | |
| Uncontrolled term | stigma |
| 653 ## - INDEX TERM--UNCONTROLLED | |
| Uncontrolled term | sociology |
| 653 ## - INDEX TERM--UNCONTROLLED | |
| Uncontrolled term | discrimination |
| 653 ## - INDEX TERM--UNCONTROLLED | |
| Uncontrolled term | infertility |
| 653 ## - INDEX TERM--UNCONTROLLED | |
| Uncontrolled term | women |
| 856 40 - ELECTRONIC LOCATION AND ACCESS | |
| Host name | www.oapen.org |
| Uniform Resource Identifier | <a href="http://books.openedition.org/iheid/7597">http://books.openedition.org/iheid/7597</a> |
| Access status | 0 |
| Public note | DOAB: download the publication |
| 856 40 - ELECTRONIC LOCATION AND ACCESS | |
| Host name | www.oapen.org |
| Uniform Resource Identifier | <a href="https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/47494">https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/47494</a> |
| Access status | 0 |
| Public note | DOAB: description of the publication |
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