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  • Title: The Indonesian Family Planning Programme: a success story for women?
    Author: Smyth I.
    Journal: Newsl Womens Glob Netw Reprod Rights; 1992; (38):13-5. PubMed ID: 12285429.
    Abstract:
    Many family planning specialists worldwide are praising the success of the family program of Indonesia because fertility rates have fallen considerably in many parts of the country. Yet, others question the reliability of the data collected and distributed by the National Family Co-ordinating Board (BKKBN), whether the publicized fertility rates are real, and whether the program or socioeconomic changes are responsible for the decline. Further, no one has assessed whether the program is sensitive to women's needs and desires. Overall, the program does not meet women's needs or consider women's health. Specifically, it deems population control more important than family planning, uses provider-dependent, long-acting hormonal contraceptives, and delivers poor quality service. The BKKBN is a prestigious group and accountable to Indonesia's president because its primary objective is to reduce population growth so socioeconomic development can occur. Even though the program originally stressed maternal and child health as a means for women to accept family planning methods, it no longer promotes maternal and child health as evidenced by the continuously high maternal mortality rates (lowest rate, 450/100,000 lives births). In fact, the maternal mortality rate for 15-19 year old women (1100) is so very high that it is second only to Ethiopia. The Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association agrees that the family planning program of Indonesia does not provide means for women to autonomously control their fertility and has taken as assembly line approach. Moreover, the administrative officials coerce subordinates to meet the ambitious targets who then coerce eligible couples and individuals to accept contraceptives. This violates their basic rights. The program has realized the significant role women play in demographic dynamics, but not as leader of socioeconomic development but as tools to rapidly and effectively implement population policies.
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