Tanzania’s President Issues Irresponsible Call For Women To ‘Set Ovaries Free’

In a move that has met serious criticism, President John Magufuli urges Tanzania’s women to ‘set your ovaries free’ and encouraged women to bear more children as a way to ‘help boost the economy’.

The Tanzanian President’s flawed logic continued;

    “When you have a big population, you build the economy. That’s why China’s economy is so huge,” he said late on Tuesday, citing India and Nigeria as other examples of countries that gained from a demographic dividend.

    “I know that those who like to block ovaries will complain about my remarks. Set your ovaries free, let them block theirs,” he told a gathering in his home town of Chato.

The East African nation already has a population of 55 million and one of the world’s highest birth rates at around 5 children per woman. Data from The UN shows that the population is growing at 2.7% a year whereas hospital and schools are overcrowded and unemployment is increasing.  

The President’s criticism of ‘Western-backed’ family planning programs could be catastrophic for women’s health. Previous to this comment he has even banned family planning adverts funded by the US.

“High population growth in Tanzania means increased levels of poverty and income inequality,” said a rights activist based in Dar es Salaam who asked not to be named to avoid possible repercussions from the government’s ongoing review of registration of non-governmental organizations. “Women’s ovaries should never be used as a tool for seeking economic prosperity.”

As the former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo noted in his post recent book ‘Democracy Works,’ Africa is already sitting on a ticking time bomb - if it does not start to control its population and provide improved infrastructure to cater for the imminent boom the results could be catastrophic.