Family planning, work and women’s economic and social autonomy in Indonesia

Abstract

In Indonesia a commonly held social view is that womens primary role in family is reproductive and that womens productive role is primarily related to domestic tasks. In this context a study was carried out to explore womens economic and social autonomy in the household as well as to describe the effects of contraceptives and working outside the home on womens autonomy. A survey of 770 women and 30 in-depth interviews with women and their husbands were conducted in Jakarta and Ujung Pandang. Given the pervasiveness of Indonesias family planning (FP) program and the high rates of contraceptive use in these two study areas it is not surprising that no statistically significant associations were found between FP use and work status. Nor was FP use a determinant of many aspects of womens economic and social autonomy. Most of the women reported having used a FP method at some time in their lives. It was noted that working women have a slightly higher level of contraceptive use than non-working women. In addition most women and their husbands reportedly adhered strongly to gender divisions of labor regardless of womens FP or work status. Women in Ujung Pandang were more likely to have joint decision-making on economic issues than were women in Jakarta. Based on the findings it was recommended that the FP program should strengthen its efforts to encourage husbands to support womens economic and social autonomy and continue its efforts to support womens reproductive rights.