BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
On a balmy evening in Dakar, Imam Ibrahima Diane stood before a circle of men and made a simple but radical point: a good husband does more than provide. He bathes his baby. He helps in the kitchen. He supports his wife.
Quoting scripture, Diane told the group, “The Prophet himself says a man who does not help support his wife and children is not a good Muslim.” Some chuckled, unsure. Others clapped.
This was no ordinary sermon. Diane was teaching at a “school for husbands,” a United Nations-backed program that trains respected male community leaders in “positive masculinity.” The goal is an honourable one: to bring men into conversations around reproductive health, family planning, and equality… and to save lives in the process.
Why husbands matter in maternal health
In many Senegalese households, men have the final say in life-changing decisions: whether a woman can access prenatal care, deliver in a hospital, or use contraception. Those choices directly affect maternal and infant survival.
“Without men’s involvement, attitudes around maternal health won’t change,” said Aida Diouf, a veteran health worker who collaborates with the program.
The results are striking. Trained men don’t just shift their own behavior; they influence entire communities. One participant, retired army commando Habib Diallo, explained how he convinced his son to take his pregnant wife to a hospital rather than risk a home birth. “At first, he worried about the cost and didn’t trust the hospital. But when I explained how much safer it would be, he agreed.”
From patriarchs to partners
The initiative began in 2011 and has since expanded to more than 20 schools, training over 300 men. It follows similar efforts in Niger, Togo, and Burkina Faso, where engaging men led to higher use of contraceptives, more prenatal care, and more skilled attendants at birth.
In Senegal, men once known for “barking orders” now lend a hand at home. “My husband used to not do much around the house, just bark orders. Now he actually cooks and helps out with daily tasks,” said 52-year-old Khary Ndeye with a smile.
Discussions don’t stop at maternal health. The schools also tackle issues such as girls’ education, early marriage, and the dangers of female genital mutilation.
Numbers tell a story of progress — and urgency
Maternal deaths in Senegal have fallen in the last decade, but the country still recorded 237 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023. That’s far above the U.N.’s 2030 target of 70. Newborn deaths, too, remain stubbornly high at 21 per 1,000 live births.
One major reason is that too many women still give birth at home without skilled care. “By educating men about the importance of supporting their wives during pregnancy, taking them to the hospital, and helping with domestic work, you’re protecting people’s health,” explained program coordinator El Hadj Malick.
Changing mindsets, one conversation at a time
Malick admits not every conversation is easy. When sessions focus purely on “gender,” some men push back, seeing it as foreign or taboo. “But when we focus on women’s right to be healthy, it puts a human face on the concept and it becomes universal,” he said.
For many families, the change is transformative. Husbands who once enforced patriarchal norms now advocate for equality and model care for others. Communities that resisted family planning now embrace it as a tool for survival and well-being.
The schools may not look like what we picture in our minds. Actually, lessons often happen in mosques, courtyards, or during Friday prayers. However, their impact is rewriting the rules of family life in Senegal.
As Imam Diane puts it, the measure of a man is not how loudly he commands, but how tenderly he cares. And that lesson could be the difference between life and death.
