Sophie Servais-Walenda unlocks maternal health in Burkina Faso through an ethnographic approach

Sophie Servais-Walenda from the Institute for Research and Development revealed that women in Burkina Faso are not just victims of health policies, but key actors in managing reproductive risks. This ethnographic research, supported by IRD and INSERM, highlights the importance of integrating their perspectives into health policies.

Maternal health in Burkina Faso is often reduced to statistics, neglecting the lived experiences of women. This ethnographic research sheds light on their agency, revealing that they assess and prioritize risks in a complex socio-cultural context, often limited by available choices. Current health policies, based on quantitative indicators, do not take this diversity into account.

By focusing on women's narratives, this study shows that maternal health policies have overlooked crucial social and cultural contexts. For example, women in certain rural areas navigate limited choices, but their capacity to act is present. The findings underscore the need for a more qualitative approach to understand the challenges they face.

To improve maternal health, it is imperative to integrate women's perspectives into health policies. This requires partnerships with local organizations to maximize impact. Decision-makers must act quickly to develop solutions tailored to the specific needs of women while overcoming resistance to change in existing policies.

« « Women in Burkina Faso are not just victims, but actors who assess and prioritize reproductive risks, » emphasizes Sophie Servais-Walenda. »

« « This research highlights the importance of accessing knowledge of lived experiences to inform decision-makers and improve health policies, » states the Lektaris team. »