By Emmanuel Antswen
In many Nigerian communities, pregnancy and childbirth are still largely viewed as women’s responsibilities, with men often remaining on the sidelines of maternal and child healthcare.
From antenatal clinic visits to postnatal care and decisions surrounding childbirth, women frequently bear the burden alone.
However, growing evidence now shows that the absence of men in maternal healthcare support systems is contributing significantly to poor health outcomes for mothers and children across the country.
It is against this backdrop that the United Nations Women (UN Women), in collaboration with partners, has intensified efforts to challenge harmful social norms and encourage men to become active participants in maternal and child healthcare services.
At a two-day social norms training organised in Makurdi, Benue, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community influencers, and health stakeholders gathered to deliberate on strategies to improve male participation in antenatal care (ANC), postnatal care (PNC), and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services.
The training, sponsored by UN Women in partnership with the Nigeria Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (NINERELA+), focused on changing long-standing cultural attitudes that discourage men from accompanying their wives to health facilities.
Speaking during the programme, the Country Representative of UN Women to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Beatrice Eyong, painted a disturbing picture of male involvement in maternal healthcare in Nigeria.
Represented by the Acting Deputy Representative, Mrs Patience Ekeoba, Eyong disclosed that recent findings by UN Women revealed extremely low levels of male participation in maternal health services.
According to the findings, only 3.4 per cent of men accompany their spouses to clinic visits, while overall male partner involvement stands at 13.8 per cent.
Eyong said that only 3.3 per cent of men attended more than two antenatal visits with their wives, while the average male involvement index stood at just 19.8 per cent.
UN Women say preventing such cases requires stronger family support systems, early antenatal care, adherence to medical advice, and increased male participation throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
These statistics, according to stakeholders, expose a dangerous gap in family healthcare support systems and underline the urgent need for community-driven behavioural change.
UN Women say when men actively support their spouses during pregnancy and childbirth, women are more likely to seek early antenatal care, deliver in health facilities, access postnatal care, and adhere to medical advice that protects both mother and child.
Yet, harmful cultural beliefs, rigid gender roles, stigma, and misinformation continue to discourage male participation in many communities.
In some cultures, men who accompany their wives to clinics are perceived as weak or excessively controlled by women, while others consider maternal healthcare strictly a woman’s responsibility.
Stakeholders say such stereotypes have contributed to delayed antenatal attendance, home deliveries, and poor healthcare access, especially in rural communities. The consequences remain severe.
Nigeria continues to record high maternal and infant mortality rates, while preventable child illnesses and mother-to-child transmission of HIV remain major public health concerns.
For many rural women, access to healthcare is affected not only by poverty and distance but also by lack of family support and approval from spouses.
UN Women believes changing these realities requires more than hospital interventions alone. It also demands the involvement of individuals who shape community opinions and influence societal behaviour.
This explains why traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community stakeholders were specifically targeted for the training.
Eyong stressed that these leaders occupy strategic positions capable of influencing attitudes within homes and communities.
“When traditional rulers encourage families to support pregnant women, when religious leaders use their platforms to promote healthy practices, and when community leaders champion inclusion and male involvement, communities become safer and healthier for mothers and children,” she said.
The training exposed participants to discussions on how social norms affect healthcare-seeking behaviour, the importance of regular antenatal and postnatal visits, and the role communities can play in supporting PMTCT interventions.
Participants also examined how men can become better partners during pregnancy by accompanying their wives to hospitals, supporting medical decisions, encouraging facility-based deliveries, and assisting with childcare after birth.
For many stakeholders present, the programme was more than just another workshop; it was a call for social transformation.
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Benue, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, urged participants to take the training seriously.
Represented by Rev. Jesse Tseke, Anagbe said society was becoming increasingly vulnerable due to inadequate healthcare services and poor public enlightenment.
The Ter Makurdi, Chief Vincent Ahule, represented by Chief Justin Terseer, acknowledged that many pregnant women in rural communities rarely attend antenatal clinics and often do not know their health status.
He pledged to work with other stakeholders to take the campaign to the grassroots.
A traditional birth attendant, Mrs Rhoda Mbahenen, said greater male involvement would help women access healthcare earlier and improve family support systems during pregnancy.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Theresa Ikwue, also pledged the state government’s support in translating the campaign into concrete action across communities.
According to her, collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations, religious institutions, and community leaders is critical to improving maternal and child health outcomes.
A representative of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Mr Kasali Abiola, described the initiative as “a sensitive innovation,” noting that women and children remain central to the nation’s survival and development.
He expressed optimism that the programme would encourage men to become more supportive of their spouses during pregnancy and after childbirth.
More so, a Deputy Director of the National HIV/AIDS Programme at the Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Stella Ekeh, said involving men in ANC and PNC services had long been part of the ministry’s vision.
She urged participants to take the message back to their communities and educate men and boys on the importance of supporting women during pregnancy.
For the Executive Secretary of NINERELA+, Ms Amber Itohan, the success of the campaign lay in the influence wielded by religious and traditional leaders.
She explained that the organisation deliberately engaged leaders capable of shaping public opinion and driving social change within communities.
Beyond maternal healthcare, stakeholders believe stronger male participation could also help reduce sexual and gender-based violence, improve family relationships, and strengthen community health systems.
As conversations around gender equality and healthcare continue to evolve in Nigeria, advocates insist that maternal and child health is not solely a women’s issue.
They say it is a family responsibility, a community concern, and a national development priority.
Experts believe that reducing newborn and maternal mortality depends heavily on husbands actively participating throughout the maternity journey.