Social change for family planning: Addressing son preference and attitudes towards fertility in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda

CARE's Social Change for Family Planning Results Initiative in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda explores the role of social factors in family planning use and integrates program components that emphasize identification, reflection, and community action on social barriers into existing programs. In February 2009, a quantitative baseline survey and qualitative data collection methods measured the status of gender attitudes and social norms as well as family planning behaviors in communities in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda (n=883, 865, and 894, respectively). Data were analyzed separately for men and women in each of the three countries. Regression analysis was used to examine relationships between family planning use, son preference, approval of contraceptive use, and other social and behavioral factors. Baseline results indicate that there is high knowledge and approval of family planning with varied levels of approval for use by young married and unmarried couples. The belief that friends and spouses approve of family planning is associated with approval of young married couples using family planning. Between 34% and 40% of male and female respondents report a preference for sons and many desire large families. Factors associated with son preference include the belief of myths surrounding family planning and the belief that community members want a larger number of sons. Both community norms and individual beliefs are important factors in family planning approval and son preference. This initiative will use these analyses to explore the impact that positive changes in gender attitudes and norms may have on family planning use.