Cultural traditions and beliefs on sexual and reproductive health in developing countries

Sexuality and reproductive health (SRH) are among the most fundamental aspects of life. Yet they often receive little attention in public discussions due to the cultural and political sensitivity. Good sexual and reproductive health implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce, and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so. A large variety in cultural traditions and beliefs regarding sexuality, the role of men and women, and reproduction exists. Traditions in many countries are changing, particularly in areas of the developing world that are undergoing rapid economic and social change. Nevertheless, all societies have -rules- about the sexuality and reproductive behaviour of young people. These -rules” do not only differ between cultures, but also between gender and between generations. Young people traditionally learn about these sexuality and reproduction -rules” through the family or via neighbours and friends. Often this is in combination with well-defined rituals or -rites of passage”. Sexual education in schools, public sites, and (social) media are relatively new ways of learning about sexual and reproductive behaviour, however this also faces a lot of resistance because they can challenge deeply held cultural believes. The common fear is that sexual and reproductive health programs encourage adolescent sexual activity. The success of sexual and reproductive health programs depends largely on understanding and recognizing underlying traditions and beliefs within communities and cultures. Furthermore, knowing these underlying traditions and beliefs will also help to understand cultural differences in general. This course will discuss major topics related to cultural differences in sexual and reproductive health beliefs and traditions. As the local context is very important for understanding these topics, this course will provide many examples from rural areas in Malawi. Institut für Soziologie Universität Hannover SoSe 2016 Dozent