Women's Agency and child mortality.Case study of ;the Northern Region of Cameroon.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Cameroon and other developing countries around the world and the Sub-Saharan African continent in particular, suffer from a high incidence of child mortality, the causes of which are many and varied but mainly related to malnutrition and environmental sanitation. Because of the high incidence of child mortality and burden on developing countries, the UN general assembly in the year 2000, included it amongst the Human Development Indicators (HDI) in poor countries to be improved upon by the year 2015 and made a clarion call on all stakeholders, particularly governments to reduce the rate by 2/3 by the targeted year. Efforts by the Cameroon government, with the support of specialized UN agencies and other development partners have only improved the situation, but not enough to meet the UN target by 2015, as regional variations indicate that the incidence is very high, especially in the Northern region of the country. This research attributes the high incidence of child mortality to the weak free agency of women, as the indicators of women’s agency-education and literacy, female employment and financial autonomy and political participation are very weak, particularly in the most affected Northern region. Enhancing these indicators is the only sure way to add voice and empowerment to women’s agency and combat child mortality.