Male role in fertility decisions in Robertsport, Liberia: an experimental exercise for policy formulation

There is a tendency to believe that in African societies men are the dominant decision makers in the family. In Robertsport, Liberia, there are indications that, with respect to fertility regulation, the dominance of the husband in fertility decisions exists, but it is also apparent that many of these decisions are made jointly by both husband and wife. Education is particularly influential in the joint fertility decision-making process. The 100 husbands sampled in 1982 desired a large number of children and had experience with infant and child mortality. If family planning programs should attain their goals, men should be more involved, than at present, in every aspect of the programs. Equally important is the urgency for studies related to the role of men in fertility regulation, using adequately large samples.