World travelers talk on women. health and power in Africa

Four members of the University community who have traveled throughout Africa described the problems faced by women on the continent at a panel discussion in the Annenberg School last night. The event, "Women, Health and Power in Africa," was sponsored by the Women's and Afro-American Studies programs and held in the Annenberg School for Communication. More than 50 people turned out for the discussion, which included three University professors and a doctoral student. History and Sociology of Science Professor Steven Feierman, an African historian, moderated the discussion. Nursing Professor Joyce Thompson discussed her ongoing effort to incorporate "what it means to be a woman, to be treated as a human being" into African society. Noting that the main cause of pregnancy-related death in Africa is "ignorance and illiteracy," Thompson said she has worked with a program designed to educate African women about various women's issues. She has already helped develop the program in Malawi and Uganda and plans to expand it into Zambia. Thompson added that viewing a woman merely as a "biological vessel for reproduction" perpetuates a misconception that women's sole purpose is to procreate. Sociology Professor Susan Watkins examined another aspect of reproduction in African nations, discussing the creation of family planning programs in Kenya to prevent the "Malthusian" prediction of overpopulation. In the 19th century, Thomas Robert Malthus said world population would grow so much that famine would eventually plague the world. "Women have the desire to control fertility," said Watkins, adding that they secretly use contraception against their husbands' wishes. Pediatrics Professor and Ghana native Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, meanwhile, discussed his research on sickle cell disease in African children. Ohene-Frempong said fathers often accuse mothers of passing the disease to the child, prompting many husbands to leave their families. To combat the disease's effect on African families, current programs are aimed at teaching "equal [parental] responsibility" in the case of genetic diseases, Ohene-Frempong noted. The final panelist, Anthropology doctoral student Katherine Guerts, downplayed several of the gender issues raised by the other panelists. Emphasizing "generational issues," she noted that older relatives typically make most major decisions during a woman's pregnancy -- not their husbands or boyfriends. College junior Yehudah Potok said the panel's unusual topic drew him to the discussion. "I'm a Sociology major with a health medicine concentration," he said. "I tend to be interested in lectures that deal with bioethical issues and medical issues, especially ones that are culture-related."