By Forchu Ijeoma Iruka
In the face of cultural inhibitions and poor policy protection of the reproductive rights of women, women in Nigeria device coping mechanisms in order to strategize for their desired family sizes. This study sought to identify coping mechanisms that women resident in Enugu State adopt in their negotiations with spouses, and the effectiveness of these strategies as perceived by them in achieving the desired family sizes. The survey research design was adopted. Three hundred and seventy-six women between the ages of twenty and thirty-nine years were systematically selected in Enugu rural and urban areas. The instruments for data collection were questionnaire, focus group discussion and personal interviews. Information collected included demographic characteristics of informants, cultural norms and practices of family planning in Enugu State, techniques that women employ in negotiating with their husbands for desired family sizes, differences in the coping strategies adopted by rural and urban women in achieving desired family sizes, and effectiveness of the coping strategies adopted by women in achieving desired family sizse in Enugu State. Responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1= Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree. The 3.05 upper limit and 2.95 lower limits value for the opinion index for agree and disagree were respectively, used. Data were presented and analyzed using tables, charts, percentages, means, standard deviation and t-test. Research findings show that most women adopted the subservient position expected of them in negotiating with their spouses by generally submitting to them.