Abstract

Abstract Gender inequalities in access to education remain a major challenge in Rumonge District, raising questions about the effectiveness of contraceptive access and use in promoting gender equity. This study explored stakeholders’ perceptions on effectiveness of contraceptives access and use in enhancing gender equity in access to education. Using a Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Approach, data were collected through surveys with students and interviews with headteachers and key informants. This study was guided by the health belief model and liberal theory which explain how contraceptive access and use influences learners’ enrollment, retention, and progression in education. Findings indicated that access to contraceptives plays an important role in promoting gender equity in education, where about 65.7% noted that it supports higher enrollment, better retention, and improved academic progress for girls. In addition, headteachers agreed that contraceptive education has helped to reduce teenage pregnancy and school dropout rates. They linked wider access to increased girls’ enrolment (52.8%-58.3%) and higher completion rates up to 49.6% between 2018 and 2022. However, Key informants likewise recognized that contraceptive access supports girls’ continued schooling, and they pointed out several barriers, including stigma, religious beliefs, and limited resources. These factors restrict how effectively schools can implement contraceptive programs. Stronger policy support, continuous community sensitization, and improved teacher capacity are necessary to enhance the effectiveness of contraceptive access in improving girls’ education.

Keywords

  • Contraceptive access and use
  • gender equity
  • reproductive health policy
  • stakeholders perceptions
  • e

References

  1. Ali, M., & Tran, N. T. (2022). Defining counselling in contraceptive information and services: Outcomes from an expert think tank. BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, 48(2), 79–81. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsrh-2021-201132
  2. Andiema, N. C. (2021). Influence of Culture on Girl Child Education in Central Pokot Sub County, Kenya. East African Journal of Education Studies, 3(1), 26–38. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajes.3.1.279
  3. Arezki, R., Boly, A., & Koffi, A. (2021). African Economic Outlook 2021: From Debt Resolution to Growth: The road Ahead for Africa. African Development Bank Report, African Development Bank.
  4. Chandra-Mouli, V., Lane, C., & Wong, S. (2015). What does not work in adolescent sexual and reproductive health: A review of evidence on interventions commonly accepted as best practices. Global Health: Science and Practice, 3(3), 333–340.
  5. Chola, M., Hlongwana, K. W., & Ginindza, T. G. (2023). Mapping Evidence Regarding Decision-Making on Contraceptive Use among Adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032744
  6. Emruli, S., & Tairi, H. (2023). Investing in Higher Education (Human Capital) Key Factors of Economic Development in Global Flows. Journal of Law, Policy and Globalization, 130, 41–45. https://doi.org/10.7176/jlpg/130-04
  7. Eze, I. I., Mbachu, C. O., Agu, I. C., Akamike, I. C., Eigbiremolen, G., & Onwujekwe, O. (2023). Determinants of awareness, value perception, and societal support for sexual and reproductive health services among in-school adolescents in South-eastern Nigeria. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 505. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09470-z
  8. Gbagbo, F. Y., & Ameyaw, E. K. (2023). Stakeholders’ perceptions of the trends in contraceptive prevalence rate and total fertility rate in Ghana. PLOS ONE, 18(7), e0288924. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288924
  9. George, A. S., Amin, A., De Abreu Lopes, C. M., & Ravindran, T. K. S. (2020). Structural determinants of gender inequality: Why they matter for adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health. The BMJ, 368, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l6985
  10. Gillespie, B., Balen, J., Allen, H., Soma-Pillay, P., & Anumba, D. (2022a). Shifting Social Norms and Adolescent Girls’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Information in a South African Township. Qualitative Health Research, 32(6), 1014–1026. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323221089880
  11. Gillespie, B., Balen, J., Allen, H., Soma-Pillay, P., & Anumba, D. (2022b). Shifting Social Norms and Adolescent Girls’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Information in a South African Township. Qualitative Health Research, 32(6), 1014–1026. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323221089880
  12. Gillespie, B., Balen, J., Allen, H., Soma-Pillay, P., & Anumba, D. (2022c). Shifting Social Norms and Adolescent Girls’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Information in a South African Township. Qualitative Health Research, 32(6), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323221089880
  13. Hammond, N., & Moretti, A. (2023). Data like any other? Sexual and reproductive health, Big Data and the Sustainable Development Goals. Sexualities, 136346072311525. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607231152599
  14. Hassan, S., Masri, H., Sawalha, I., & Mortensen, B. (2024). Perceived barriers and opportunities of providing quality family planning services among Palestinian midwives, physicians and nurses in the West Bank: A qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1), 786. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11216-4
  15. Holloway, S. L., & Kirby, P. (2020). Neoliberalising Education: New Geographies of Private Tuition, Class Privilege, and Minority Ethnic Advancement. Antipode, 52(1), 164–184. https://doi.org/10.1111/anti.12587
  16. Holtom, B., Baruch, Y., Aguinis, H., & A Ballinger, G. (2022). Survey response rates: Trends and a validity assessment framework. Human Relations, 75(8), 1560–1584. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267211070769
  17. INSBU. (2023). Institut National De La Statistique Du Burundi Annuaire Statistique Du Burundi Edition 2022 (pp. 15–138). www.isteebu.bi
  18. Irene, M. (2023). Addressing reproductive healthcare disparities: Strategies for achieving health equity. Clinical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 6(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.29328/journal.cjog.1001128
  19. Jonas, K., Duby, Z., Maruping, K., Dietrich, J., Slingers, N., Harries, J., Kuo, C., & Mathews, C. (2020). Perceptions of contraception services among recipients of a combination HIV-prevention interventions for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa: A qualitative study. Reproductive Health, 17(1), 122. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-020-00970-3
  20. Lahiri, A., & Jha, S. S. (2022). Gender Equity Perceptions Among School-Going Adolescents: A Mixed-Methods Comparison Amongst Tribal and Non-Tribal Rural Areas of an Eastern State in India. Frontiers in Sociology, 6, 772270. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2021.772270
  21. Martin, M. (2022). Gender equity in the classroom. Early Years Educator, 23(17), 34–35. https://doi.org/10.12968/eyed.2022.23.17.34
  22. Mbilinyi, (Mph) Luwoneko B., & Moshiro, C. (2020). A cross-sectional study on contraceptive knowledge, attitude and practice among teenage girls in secondary schools in Wanging’ombe district—Njombe Region. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-25841/v1
  23. Mbizvo, M. T., Kasonda, K., Muntalima, N.-C., Rosen, J. G., Inambwae, S., Namukonda, E. S., Mungoni, R., Okpara, N., Phiri, C., Chelwa, N., & Kangale, C. (2023). Comprehensive sexuality education linked to sexual and reproductive health services reduces early and unintended pregnancies among in-school adolescent girls in Zambia. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 348. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15023-0
  24. MENRS. (2021). Tous les enfants à l ’ école : Rapport de l’étude sur les enfants et adolescent(e)s en dehors de l’école (EADE) au Burundi. 252.
  25. Nations, U., Nations, U., & Fund, P. (2012). Education on Sexual and Reproductive Health Building partnerships with and for youth Interview with UNFPA.
  26. Nibaruta, J. C., Kamana, B., Chahboune, M., Chebabe, M., Elmadani, S., Turman, J. E., Guennouni, M., Amor, H., Baali, A., & Elkhoudri, N. (2022). Prevalence, trend and determinants of adolescent childbearing in Burundi: A multilevel analysis of the 1987 to 2016–17 Burundi Demographic and Health Surveys data. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22(1), 673. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-05009-y
  27. Ninsiima, L. R., Chiumia, I. K., & Ndejjo, R. (2021). Factors influencing access to and utilisation of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review. Reproductive Health, 18(1), 135. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01183-y
  28. Nzokirishaka, A., & Itua, I. (2018). Determinants of unmet need for family planning among married women of reproductive age in Burundi: A cross-sectional study. Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, 3(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-018-0062-0
  29. Okeke, C. C., Mbachu, C. O., Agu, I. C., Ezenwaka, U., Arize, I., Agu, C., Obayi, C., & Onwujekwe, O. (2022). Stakeholders’ perceptions of adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health needs in Southeast Nigeria: A qualitative study. BMJ Open, 12(6), e051389. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051389
  30. Packham, A. (2017). Family planning funding cuts and teen childbearing. Journal of Health Economics, 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2017.07.002
  31. Petrosino, A., Morgan, C., Fronius, T. A., Tanner-Smith, E. E., & Boruch, R. F. (2012). Interventions in Developing Nations for Improving Primary and Secondary School Enrollment of Children: A Systematic Review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 8(1), i–192. https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2012.19
  32. Sage. (2022). Millennium Development Goals and women’s empowerment: Global review report. London: Sage Publications. https://journals.sagepub.com/sustainable-development-goals-at-sage
  33. Schwarz, J., Manirakiza, R., & Merten, S. (2022). Reproductive Governance in a Fragile and Population-Dense Context: Family Planning Policies, Discourses, and Practices in Burundi. The European Journal of Development Research, 34(6), 2666–2687. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-021-00482-1
  34. Sebu, S. (2023). Access to Quality Education, a Basic Right of Every Child. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 36(7), 41–46. https://doi.org/10.9734/jesbs/2023/v36i71234
  35. Shavkidinova, D., & Suyunova, F. (2023). Education Is an Important Factor in Human and Country Development. Current Research Journal of Pedagogics, 04(01), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.37547/pedagogics-crjp-04-01-04
  36. Shukla, M., Fonseca, M., & Deshmukh, P. (2017). A study on contraceptive knowledge, attitudes and practices among women in the reproductive age group. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 6(8), 3560. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20173484
  37. Silumbwe, A., Nkole, T., Munakampe, M. N., Milford, C., Cordero, J. P., Kriel, Y., Zulu, J. M., & Steyn, P. S. (2018). Community and health systems barriers and enablers to family planning and contraceptive services provision and use in Kabwe District, Zambia. BMC Health Services Research, 18, 390. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-3136-4
  38. Sindayigaya, I. (2023). The Overview of Burundi in the Image of the African Charter on Rights and Welfare of the Child. Beijing Law Review, 14(02), 812–827. https://doi.org/10.4236/blr.2023.142044
  39. Sommer, M., Sutherland, C., & Chandra-Mouli, V. (2015). Putting menarche and girls into the global population health agenda. Reproductive Health, 12(1), 24.
  40. Stevenson, A. J., Genadek, K. R., Yeatman, S., Mollborn, S., & Menken, J. A. (2021). The impact of contraceptive access on high school graduation. Science Advances, 7(19), eabf6732. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf6732
  41. UNESCO. (2017). Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives; UNESCO: Paris, France. International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development, 2(1), 131–134.
  42. UNESCO. (2020). Global education monitoring report 2020: Inclusion and education-all means all. UN.
  43. UNESCO et al. (2020). Building back equal: Girls back to school guide. UNESCO Digital Library, 1–15.
  44. UNFPA. (2021). Understanding and Addressing Adolescent Pregnancy.
  45. UNICEF. (2022). Early childbearing and teenage pregnancy rates by country. UNICEF DATA. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-health/adolescent-health/
  46. UNPF, U. N. P. (2023, April 21). Burundi 2020 [Https://doi.org/10.18356/9789210057738c006]. United Nations. https://doi.org/10.18356/9789210057738c006
  47. Upadhyay, A. (2022). A study on the Role of Education in various facets of Human Development. International Journal of Management and Development Studies, 11(05), 13–16. https://doi.org/10.53983/ijmds.v11n05.003
  48. Wu, M.-J., Zhao, K., & Fils-Aime, F. (2022). Response Rates of Online Surveys in Published Research: A Meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2022.100206
  49. Yeatman, S., Flynn, J. M., Stevenson, A., Genadek, K., Mollborn, S., & Menken, J. (2022). Expanded contraceptive access increased women’s college completion in Colorado. Health Affairs (Project Hope), 41(12), 1754. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00066
  50. Zuze, T. L., & Beku, U. (2019). Gender Inequalities in South African Schools: New Complexities. In N. Spaull & J. D. Jansen (Eds.), South African Schooling: The Enigma of Inequality: A Study of the Present Situation and Future Possibilities (pp. 225–241). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18811-5_12