Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi

This paper is tentatively arguing that women in Kisii District are confronted with a number of factors which are acting both as potentials as well as barriers to their motivation for family planning. Focus is put on progressive and regressive changes in female status and role at the household level. Factors such as changing sexual division of labour, changing gender relations and gender roles and changing decision-making pattern are discussed as well as the way in which these changes are interacting positively or negatively on women’s motivation for limiting their child births and making use of family planning. As men and their attitude to family planning seem to create a major barrier for many women, research on men was included in the study, and their attitudes are tentatively discussed. Other factors interacting with women's motivation for family planning are considered to be value and costs of children and fears of side-effects. Also availability and quality of family planning services are discussed. It is argued that a number of potential users are lost because of inadequate services.