Just read this, and was heartened by the reporter's full and thoughtful account of the courage and determination of these women in Ghana to take control of their own reproductive health.
A short extract:
Such high birth rates perpetuate poverty, say experts. But a large part of the solution lies in contraception and family planning. Invest in women’s health and empowerment, and they will invest in their family’s future.
Reduce population growth, and governments will have more to spend on each individuals’ health and education. If every women in Africa gave birth to their first-born just two years later, population growth would be nine per cent smaller by 2100. If women have only the number of children they actually wanted, growth would drop by 30 per cent.
“Family planning is a means to enjoy a healthier and better life, it is an essential cornerstone in the equation,” said Dr Ayman Abdelmohsen, global operations coordinator ay UNFPA Supplies, the world's largest provider of donated contraceptives. “Looking at it from the perspective of human development is essential; family planning is a capital investment in women and young girls, it is not just healthcare. Giving women knowledge leads to the realisation that they have power over their own life and fertility.”
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/contraception-in-ghana/