Researchers investigated whether larger family size increases the work burden for women at home, or a dual work burden for those working outside the home.

Philippines

Family planning use can affect numerous aspects of women's lives, including their health, their work inside and outside the home, their roles within the family, and their psychological well-being. Contraceptive use can minimize women's concerns about unplanned pregnancies, allow them to space their children, reduce the time they spend in childbearing and childrearing, and allow them to pursue work outside the home. However, many women find that taking on additional responsibilities outside the home adds to their work burden and creates stress, as they try to generate income and manage the household and children.

Research Findings

By surveying approximately 1,600 women, ages 15 to 49, and conducting focus group discussions with both women and men, researchers investigated whether larger family size increases the work burden for women at home. They also investigated whether larger family size creates a dual work burden for women; that is, women are not only responsible for more work at home but they must perform more market or paid work to support their larger families. In addition, researchers explored factors that contribute to domestic violence. Research was conducted in Cagayan de Oro City and in Bukidnon province.

• The overall family planning ever-use rate was 48 percent, and the current use rate was 27 percent. Family planning use rates among rural women were lowest for the tribal villagers (19 percent) and highest for the economically non-depressed rural areas (34 percent). The intrauterine device was the most commonly used method (46 percent), and pills were the second most prevalent method (30 percent). Contraceptive use did not affect women's satisfaction with their lives. Forty-six percent of women in the survey said they experienced unplanned pregnancies.

• Larger family size increased women's workload since more children mean additional household chores, such as cooking or washing clothes. Women commented: "I am always busy when the children are up." "I am only free from work when the children are asleep." "I can only rest when I am done with the household chores."

• Domestic work constituted a significant portion of women's daily schedule. The average number of hours in daily home production was 6.0 for urban women and 6.5 for rural women. Domestic work also accounted for a significant portion of the daily schedule of women engaged in income-generating activities. Women engaged in informal sector and formal sector work spend an average of 5.1 and 2.9 hours, respectively, on domestic chores.

• Larger family size did not lessen women's economic activities. Women said one of their primary goals was to engage in market work, so they would have money to spend for their needs without taking it from their husbands' earnings. One woman said, "If the money is mine, then I do not have to consult my husband about the things that I need to buy." In general, larger family size increased the need of women to do market work because more children required more income.

• Having children under five years of age significantly reduced the likelihood that women would work for pay. Although a larger family size increased women's desire (or need) to earn money, the additional work burden at home from having more children prevented them from realizing this desire and actually engaging in income-generating work.

• Domestic violence was prevalent. One in four women reported having been physically harmed, and the abuser was most likely to be the woman's husband. Women who experienced physical abuse were asked whether the abuse was "seldom" or "frequent." One in five (19 percent) said the abuse was "frequent."

• Women said physical abuse occurred when the husband was drinking and during quarrels and disagreements. Women said the reasons for husbands' violence included jealousy, gambling, having an affair, and being engrossed in "barkada" (clubs where friends gather to drink and gamble). Refusal to have sex, negligence in caring for the children, going out without the husband's knowledge, and difficulty in adjusting to the "husband's ways" usually prompted the violence, women said.

• Domestic violence was more likely to occur in families where the wife ever-used family planning, where the wife worked for income, where the husband performed domestic chores (child care, cleaning, washing), or where the wife reported unwanted pregnancies.

• In decision-making, the majority of women reported that they chose their family planning method and, in cases of conflict, had the final say. Women tended to make minor everyday decisions about household economy. Major decisions involving large expenditures were the husband's domain.

Recommendations

Urban and rural women's groups should work collaboratively to develop advocacy and education programs for women, including programs that provide counseling, information, education, and training on reproductive health, gender and sexuality. Women's advocates could encourage local women to form groups to help each other – for example, to provide child care in a neighborhood or village.

Local health facilities should pay special attention to women's health needs and devote appropriate financial resources. Women-centered health services, offered at convenient times and locations, should be provided to accommodate women's multiple work burdens inside and outside the home. Employers should consider on-site health services for women. Because domestic violence is common, health providers, including physicians and nurses in family planning clinics and midwives and traditional healers in rural communities, should be trained to provide referrals and resources for victims. Health providers should receive training in gender issues. Given the high failure rates found for most methods, women desperately need assistance in using methods more effectively as well as access to more effective methods.

Study Details

This study was conducted by Drs. Magdalena C. Cabaraban and Beethoven C. Morales at the Research Institute for Mindanao Culture, Xavier University, in Cagayan de Oro City. Research was supported by the Women's Studies Project at Family Health International (FHI), through a cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Dr. Eilene Bisgrove of FHI provided technical assistance.