Husbands have important role in safeguarding wives' health
Husbands have important role in safeguarding wives' health
JAKARTA (JP): Safe Motherhood and other programs to improve
women's health status will fall flat in reaching their goal
without full support from male members of a patriarchal society
like Indonesia.
Meiwita B. Iskandar, resident advisor of Population Council
Jakarta, said in a report that husbands, fathers, brothers and
employers, most of whom are men, play significant roles in
changing and reshaping people's attitudes toward the importance
of improving women's health.
"Gender inequities continue to adversely affect women's health
throughout their lives, starting from birth," she said.
Women, especially those living in villages, have less access
to available health-determining services, education and other
social facilities, making them vulnerable to poverty, social
abuse or economic deprivation, she explained.
"Any women's health program should also target male citizens
in order to educate and inform them about the related program."
Husbands are closely involved in the Safe Motherhood program.
Thorough information and education on the process of pregnancy
and child delivery must be given to them, Meiwita said.
"Many husbands are ignorant about the welfare of their
pregnant wives because they don't understand and they have
inadequate knowledge of problems relating to pregnancy and
childbirth."
In big cities, many prospective fathers have started to attend
prenatal classes to prepare young couples physically and
emotionally for the birth of their babies.
Paternity leaves are not yet popular here in Indonesia, unlike
in developed countries where fathers are allowed to take time
off.
In rural areas, local organizations including integrated
health services center (Posyandu), community health centers
(Puskesmas), village women's welfare organization (PKK) and other
prominent agencies could motivate and provide necessary education
for fathers-to-be and other male members. This could cover
nutritional intake, the childbirth process to postnatal caring,
she said.
Stephen J. Woodhouse, Unicef's area representative for
Indonesia and Malaysia, shared Meiwita's views on educating men
on the childbirth experience.
"There are many uncaring and unkind husbands in every country
including in Indonesia. They treat their wives indifferently," he
said.
Many pregnant women continue to work in rice fields or do
heavy domestic works, juggling this with taking care of other
children without the help of their spouses, Woodhouse observed.
Many men have prevented their wives from having appropriate
medical treatment from trained midwives or doctors. They prefer
their wives to have babies at home with the assistance of
traditional midwives in order to save on medical costs.
"This is not a sad story, but it is a real fact that happens
in most villages in the country," he said.
Unicef supports various women's health programs in several
provinces.
He said that it was important to improve the treatment
available to pregnant women and lactating mothers.
"By improving their health condition, they will likely give
birth to healthy babies, something good for their families and
the society to have healthy members."
Approaches to educate male members also occur in urban areas
where many women are employed both as trained and professional
workers in offices and cheap labor in factories.
Julie Marsaban, an executive of the Program for Appropriate
Technology in Health (Path) Indonesia, said at a meeting
organized by the Menteng Rotary Club here recently that
intervention was made through companies and factories.
In cooperation with international donor agencies and local
non-profit organizations such as the Kusuma Buana Foundation,
Path Indonesia is actively promoting the improvement of women's
health in workplaces.
"We are encouraging employers and executives of companies to
give extra attention to their women workers and to provide better
working environment for these workers, especially when they are
pregnant," Julie said.
According to the International Labor Organization's standard,
the protection of women workers during pregnancy and maternity is
normally mandated under the labor code covering conditions of
work, employment and health through applicable social security
regulations.
A study has found the condition of working women in Indonesia
is alarming. Seven out of 10 women suffer from serious anemia,
bound to reduce their work productivity by 20 percent. Only a
small percentage of female workers receive adequate social
security protection, including maternity leave, compensation and
pension schemes.
"We are also promoting iron tablets and the consumption of
nutritious food among workers and employers to enhance their
health condition," said Julie.
She explained that several companies were involved in the
programs and she hoped others would also join for the sake of the
female workers's welfare in particular and other staff members in
general.
"The multiple benefits of women's improved health include
increased productivity and a positive impact on the health of
families and the society," Julie said. (raw)