In the book "Monique and the Mango Rains," by Kris Holloway is a narrative to help inform those who read it about the struggles many Malian women go through - especially with their health. Many gender stratifications are addressed in the book, such as economic issues, marital status, and reproductive health issues. All three of gender stratifications are present in Holloway’s study of Malian women. As a result, the inequality between men and women in Malian society - economically, marital, and through reproductive health issues - creates a wall for women to reach success, making it nearly impossible for them to progress and become independent. There are many gender norms and stratification in Mali. One of the norms after couples get married is that they follow the patrilocal residence pattern. This pattern is a post marriage residence rule that requires the bride and the groom to live in or near the residence of the groom’s father. (World Cultures 197) For example in Monique and the Mango Rains, Monique the midwife, once she married François she had to move to Nampossela where he and the rest of his family and her in-laws lived. This was the case with all women in this society. In Mali the qualities of males are that they dominate, it is them who make the rules and decisions within the family and the society. Women are extremely obedient and are scared to disobey the men and in particular their husbands. For example, Korotun, a woman in the book, came home one evening while selling sweet potatoes in the middle of the town, something her husband did not approve of, but they needed the money. When she came home her husband accused her of trying to “flirt with the men” and he beat her. (Holloway 52) This is an extreme case, but it is a great example of just some of the reasons women in Mali are so obedient and will do what the men ask without question. One of the biggest problems that Holloway encounters during her two years in Mali is the reproductive health issue for women. In the very first chapter she faces a statistic that is overwhelmingly sad. She finds out that “Malian woman’s lifetime risk of dying in pregnancy and childbirth around one in twelve, compared to a U.S. woman’s risk of one in over three thousand.” (Holloway 8) This would seem to spark some interest in the way Malian men and women choose to have children, but so many are not educated on the fact. However, in order to help this statistic some wom