Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health: An Analysis of the Construction of Sexuality in the Evangelical Religious Communities of Yopougon (Abidjan District-Cote D’Ivoire)

ABSTRACT: This study examines the social forces that guide and legitimize actors’ positions on sexual behaviour. The study was essentially qualitative. Based on a methodological approach based on the literature review and autobiographical and semi-structured interviews conducted with a category of actors in the evangelical religious communities of Yopougon, we were able to arrive at the following results: the object explored in this study (sexuality) reveals its polymorphism through the number of perceptions and phenomena associated with it in this case; sexually transmitted diseases, contraceptive methods, gender relations and the prescriptions of religious authorities (abstinence and virginity). To conclude, this study dealing with sexual and reproductive health allows us to take a particular look at the analysis of identity profiles showing that the majority of study participants are at a stage of socialization where they are rather ready to act in accordance with external prescriptions or according to a logic of immediacy. To varying degrees, differences are observed in the dynamics of anchoring the sexuality of actors: Women emphasize emotional and ethical elements (honour, trust, marriage). While men develop ideologies of a commitment based on ethical principles.
Keywords: Gender, Health, Sexuality, Reproduction, Religion, Côte d’Ivoire