China: The Effect of Family Planning on Women's Lives
Fertility in China has declined dramatically over the past three decades, due in large measure to government policy that limits couples to one child per family (with some exceptions in rural areas). Family planning is almost universal, and China considers reduction in population growth essential to improving the country's economy. This study examines the effects of family planning on different generations of women, using data from South Jiangsu and North Anhui provinces. Although family planning appears to have had little impact on marital and sexual relationships, it has positively affected household financial status. (pdf 588k)
Egypt: The Role of Women as Family Planning Employees
In Egypt, 82 percent of family planning employees are women. Through their work, women have gained opportunities to learn new skills, improve their self-confidence, earn income and gain community respect. However, this study shows that family planning work also carries some disadvantages for women who step outside the traditional role of wife and mother. There is stress as they try to balance work and home responsibilities and criticism from some family planning opponents.
Indonesia: Family Planning, Family Welfare and Women's Activities
Indonesia' rapid fertility decline -- from 5.6 children per couple in the late 1960s to 2.85 children in 1994 -- is due to widespread availability of contraceptive methods through government programs, which promote the two-child family as a "happy and prosperous" family. In this study, conducted in Central Java and East Java, women said contraceptive use meant smaller families, which in turn, meant greater economic security for the family. Women also said contraceptive use had a negative impact on their lives when they suffered from method side effects. (pdf 224k)
Indonesia: Family Planning and Women's Empowerment in the Family
What impact has Indonesia's rapid fertility decline had on women's individual autonomy? This study, conducted in Ujung Pandang and Jakarta, found that women who use contraception are more likely to talk with their husbands about family planning. Those who used contraception also had a greater say in household economic decision-making. Couples adhered to traditional gender roles in division of labor, with women responsible for domestic chores even if they worked outside the home. (pdf 224k)
Indonesia: Family Planning, Women's Work and Women's Household Autonomy
As contraceptive use becomes more prevalent in Indonesia, women are having smaller families, which means they may devote a smaller portion of their life to childrearing and a larger portion of their life to work in the paid labor force. This study reviewed data from the 1993 Indonesia Family Life Survey and found that family planning use does not have a strong influence on women's participation in the work force. However, women who use long-term methods, such as sterilization or intrauterine devices, are more likely to work for pay than those who use short-term methods, such as the pill. (pdf 151k)
Indonesia: Reproductive Decision-making and Women's Psychological Well-being
Fifty-five percent of married women in Indonesia use contraception. Although contraceptive use is widespread, women do not always get to choose the method they want, and side effects can lead to repeated method switching. In this study, conducted in Lampung and South Sumatra, women who used some type of method (modern or traditional) reported more satisfaction in their relationships with family members and others than non-users. And women who used modern methods were less overwhelmed by child care and domestic tasks. (pdf 246k)
Jamaica: Reproductive Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior Among Young Adolescents
Gender norms for reproductive behavior and sexual attitudes are established at an early age. According to this study of adolescents ages 11 to 14 in Kingston, the percentage of boys who have had sexual intercourse is considerably higher than the percentage of girls, and boys are likely to become sexually active earlier than girls. While boys see sexual activity as a badge of honor, girls talk about teenage sexual activity as something that is secret and shameful for them. (pdf 247k)
