Details

Policy Brief

FAMILY PLANNING IN PAKISTAN: GENDER CONSIDERATIONS AND ROLES OF MATRIARCHS

Khawaja Zain ul Abdin

INDUSTRY : Family Planning

AREA : Gender

ORGANIZATION : -

LENGTH : 8

LUMS No : 17-016-2018-2

PUBLICATION YEAR : 2018

KEYWORDS:

Family Planning, Pakistan, Gender Considerations, Matriarchs, Sexual Health Policy, Healthcare

DESCRIPTION:

Focusing on family planning as the only viable long-term solution to this problem, this brief addresses the gender imbalance in Pakistan’s family planning & sexual health policy. A major area to address is the gender imbalance in policy considerations and contraceptive responsibility in rural areas of Pakistan. Overwhelmingly, the policy has been written with an assumption that women will have the power to exercise contraceptive control, either directly, or through matrimonial dialogue and men will have the will, and the motivation, to follow through on such recommendations. However, in reality, both these assumptions continuously prove to be false in Pakistani rural contexts. Thereby interventions and policy directions based on a prerequisite of equality are frequently found to be ineffective. This brief outlines the need to recognize the gender imbalance and to induct the use of alternate influencers, especially matriarchs. While women in their role as wives may not be able to exercise or influence contraceptive choice and control, in their roles as mothers, grandmothers, and other elders; they can significantly affect married couples under their social influence. Recognition and induction of these familial and social dynamics are critical for successful policy making and the diffusion of contraceptive-positive mindsets.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

SUBJECTS COVERED:

Public Policy