Kenya

The republic of Kenya, the 47th largest country in the world, is located in east Africa and shares borders with Tanzania, Uganda, Somali, and Ethiopia, with Nairobi as the capital city. As of 2006, Kenya's population was 36.5 million. Swahili and English are the country's national and official languages. There are approximately 40 ethnic groups in Kenya; the largest of which are the Kikuyu, Luo, and Luhya. Kenya is 582,646 square kilometers in area and lies on the equator.

Motherhood is important to Kenyan women, who are considered the backbone of families and the primary caretakers of children, elderly parents, and male spouses. In 2006, the number of children born per mother, also known as total fertility rate (TFR), was 5. This rate is important because it relates to population change. The TFR for Kenya has been declining over the years, although the rates are still high; this is partially due to the preference for baby boys over girls. There are several consequences to [Page 620]overpopulation, which include crime, lack of food, lack of access to medical supplies and treatment, and lack of education for women as compared to men. Literacy rates for females have always been lower than for males, but the rates are improving.

There is no national financial aid or support for low-income mothers or unwed mothers. The only help available is through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the United Nations and other private agencies. Cultural norms that affect women in Kenya include female genital mutilation (FGM) in some cultures, polygamy, and wife/women inheritance. Divorce is rare and prohibited by most cultures. Culturally, mothers are more privileged than nonmothers, and the Roman Catholic practice of discouraging birth control has created tension and debates with policy makers and the government.

Furthermore, there are problems with the divergence of funds to fight HIV/AIDS, leaving women's health and family planning services short of funds and supplies of contraceptives such as condoms. Married women accounted for 39 and 41 percent of birth control practices in 1998 and 2003, respectively. A law to prevent willful transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been approved and remains to be implemented. However, the primary problem with birth control is discontinuation. One cause of infant deaths is tetanus; thus, tetanus injections are given to most women during prenatal care; iron tablets are also given to prevent anemia, but this is not a very common practice.

Famous Kenyan mothers include Marjorie Olud-he McGoye, a writer; Charity Ngilu, a presidential candidate in the 2002, first multiparty election; Mama Ngina Kenyatta, the first Kenyan First Lady; and Wangari Maathai, an environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner.