MALE INVOLVEMENT IN FAMILY PLANNING IN GUSII SOCIETY: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL OVERVIEW

ABSTRACT Contraception is largely shouldered by Gusii women in western Kenya, although more Gusii men are taking more serious interest in family planning. The majority of men have started to participate in deciding the contraceptive method to be used by their wives. Condom use is a spreading contraceptive method for men, but two major obstacles hamper more widespread use: the poor quality of commonly available condoms and the lack of encouragement and counseling for condom use to male clients in medical facilities. Most Gusii men show negative and even antagonistic attitudes towards vasectomy, attitudes deeply rooted in cultural values concerning manhood, procreative ability, and the ideal of a large family. Men’s sexuality and reproductive power always take precedence over those of women, which is characteristic of most of the patrilineal and patriarchal societies in Africa, including Gusii society. It is doubtfil that vasectomy would produce a measure of effect as a male contraceptive method in Gusii society in spite of the medical specialists ’ agenda