dakar/libore niger mabingue ngom head u.n. population fund west africa know want cut birth rat ignore religion population experts like ngom worry west africa population continue grow current pace region high birth rate world drive fierce competition scarce water farmland fuel malnutrition conflict ever economic refugees graphic-family plan west africa tmsnrt.rs/2zwftuy west african governments u.n. agencies charities also want cut maternal mortality rat high west africa anywhere else world accord u.n. population fund unfpa figure imams follow puritanical wahhabist form islam traditional religious leaders across region regularly preach use contraception say western nations push birth control fear outnumber africans imams cite passage koran implore muslims go forth multiply family plan see many region western plot curb spread islam west policy reduce number say hassane seck imam dakar influence wahhabist tradition perverse promotion contraception women europe long fertile go many us afraid. counter message population experts try co-opt moderate clerics meet september half dozen senior senegalese clerics ngom avoid issue overpopulation focus value espouse koran need good maternal health need ensure parent resources fee educate children come powerpoint make nice speeches achieve nothing people even hostile tell reuters want change things engage listen ngom speak bou mouhamed kounta deputy head senegal islamic supreme council warn family plan senegal taboo add ready work see unfpa respect religion planners worry growth rat stark case remain niger poor country stretch sahara desert accord u.n. projections population triple 2050 72 million yet frequent droughts already struggle fee people fertility rate niger high world past decade children per mother quarter century accord u.n. figure one five women marry time 19 every 100,000 birth niger 553 mother die neighbor chad maternal mortality level 856 per 100,000 birth 12 develop world attempt niger low birth rate fiercely resist traditional leaders know marabouts imams measure extent wahhabist influence west africa hard control many region strategic mosques main university house worship senegal niger niger religious tv station preachers promise hellfire anyone practice family plan large mosque southern city maradi imam denounce contraception plot white reduce us two reproductive health workers base decline name say unfpa niger president mahamadou issoufou try introduce sex education school 2015 angry mob burn text book outside u.n. offices three years early bill ban girls take school marriage provoke backlash ax back ngom wonder whether decades tell africans many baby counterproductive decide family plan message need nuanced hold dozens meet moderate imams always wear bubu traditional muslim robe native senegal world suspicion mistrust put things important issue tell reuters dakar need know audience atamo hassane head niger family plan unit agree limit reduce population two word use hassane tell reuters niger capital niamey every marabout ... go say use family plan space birth enough tackle population growth hop people start use contraception see benefit use birth rat start fall moderate clerics include sheikh ali ben salah niger former minister religious affairs islam clear children without consider go fee clothe educate salah tell reuters conference child marriage dakar family plan part islam problem come want stop certain number unfpa breakthrough july chad high islamic authority host symposium u.n. agency 1,200 regional religious leaders unprecedented subject family plan tell family plan reduce maternal mortality third want ngom say cheikh abdeldahim abdoulaye secretary general chad supreme council islamic affairs tell reuters back u.n. program koran permit space birth primarily sake good maternal health aminatou bakah nigerien aid worker charity marie stop international provide contraception family plan advice 37 countries say long struggle shake idea tool western interference call us marie stop want stop people children say explain want help plan get pregnant pure chance pop-up clinic run charity libore 20 km 13 miles outside niamey mother young children wait advice contraceptive methods village jag acacia tree clay house mosque nine mother interview reuters say want few children use contraception temporary reprieve child birth would 15 children god want say rahinatou kadri 24 mother four husband imam two wive old 16 children say keen outdo husband say want another child kadri dutifully come back contraceptive implant remove religion permit us stop children say mariane hamadoun 34 mother five thank partly view birth rate african countries defy predictions would fall continent get prosperous happen europe asia americas attitudes may change lamodi soulye 39 devout muslim worker chinese restaurant niamey one 28 siblings one father three different mother remember occasionally go hungry drop school basic primary education father lack resources keep us say decide thing children plan stop three west africa population planners battle woo muslim hearts