Rethinking Barriers to Maternal and Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Ideo-Cultural Dialogic Approach

This study examined the culture conundrum influencing USAID’s maternal and child health campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa. Data revealed maternal health as freedom of choice, women-as-champions approach, and women’s fora as dominant tactics toward a perceived gender inclusiveness in project implementation. This study proposes an ideo-cultural dialogic approach to understanding the hegemonic assumptions influencing the discourse and practice of maternal and child health by international development agencies. We argue that rethinking barriers requires challenging the androcentric, imperialist view of culture from discourse domination to creating equal latitudes for facilitating participatory behavior change toward sustainable health campaigns and their reception in sub-Saharan Africa.