Women’s voices, women’s power: self care and reproductive autonomy in nigeria
1
Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), Abuja, Nigeria
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A1148
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Restrictive gender norms, misinformation, and distance to facilities continue to undermine women’s reproductive autonomy in nigeria. The community-oriented DMPA SC self-injection acceleration in nigeria (CODSAiN) project introduced self injection of dmpa sc as a self care approach supported by social and behavior change strategies. The model emphasized building trust with spouses, leaders, and communities while centering women’s lived experiences as evidence. Contraception was reframed not only as access to services but also as an entry point to decision making, rights, and empowerment.
METHODS:
Community based counseling, household dialogues, and integration of family planning into maternal and child health services were implemented. Community oriented resource persons and youth mobilizers facilitated participatory storytelling and sensitization in local languages to ensure inclusivity for women, adolescents, and marginalized groups. Beneficiary narratives were documented as evidence to strengthen demand generation and advocacy at community and policy levels.
RESULTS:
By July 2025, nearly one-third of women adopting family planning in intervention states chose self-injection. Women reported greater control, reduced reliance on facility visits, and stronger spousal support. communities documented improved dialogue between couples and wider acceptance of family planning. These changes reflected both quantitative growth in uptake and cultural transformation as self-care practices became normalized in environments where restrictive norms had previously limited access.
CONCLUSIONS:
The project demonstrates that self-care approaches, when paired with rights-based communication, can dismantle barriers to reproductive autonomy. By amplifying women’s voices and embedding trust building in social and behavior change strategies, contraception was reframed as both a service and a pathway to empowerment. This model offers scalable lessons for advancing maternal and adolescent health in resource-constrained settings.
Restrictive gender norms, misinformation, and distance to facilities continue to undermine women’s reproductive autonomy in nigeria. The community-oriented DMPA SC self-injection acceleration in nigeria (CODSAiN) project introduced self injection of dmpa sc as a self care approach supported by social and behavior change strategies. The model emphasized building trust with spouses, leaders, and communities while centering women’s lived experiences as evidence. Contraception was reframed not only as access to services but also as an entry point to decision making, rights, and empowerment.
METHODS:
Community based counseling, household dialogues, and integration of family planning into maternal and child health services were implemented. Community oriented resource persons and youth mobilizers facilitated participatory storytelling and sensitization in local languages to ensure inclusivity for women, adolescents, and marginalized groups. Beneficiary narratives were documented as evidence to strengthen demand generation and advocacy at community and policy levels.
RESULTS:
By July 2025, nearly one-third of women adopting family planning in intervention states chose self-injection. Women reported greater control, reduced reliance on facility visits, and stronger spousal support. communities documented improved dialogue between couples and wider acceptance of family planning. These changes reflected both quantitative growth in uptake and cultural transformation as self-care practices became normalized in environments where restrictive norms had previously limited access.
CONCLUSIONS:
The project demonstrates that self-care approaches, when paired with rights-based communication, can dismantle barriers to reproductive autonomy. By amplifying women’s voices and embedding trust building in social and behavior change strategies, contraception was reframed as both a service and a pathway to empowerment. This model offers scalable lessons for advancing maternal and adolescent health in resource-constrained settings.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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