Komnas Perempuan Criticises Population Control Policies Targeting Women

The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) is urging the government to stop approaches that make women the primary target of population control. According to Komnas Perempuan, current population policies still position women as objects of population control. As objects, women are then burdened with the use of contraception to prevent pregnancy.

"We encourage the government to stop approaches that make women the primary target of population control. It is very important to strengthen men’s responsibility in reproductive health, contraception, and even in parenting," said Komnas Perempuan member Irwan Setiawan when confirmed in Jakarta, Wednesday (15/7). Policies that target women indicate that women’s bodies, wombs, and reproductive choices are the main targets of population control programmes.

Komnas Perempuan assesses that the implementation of population control programmes that burden women with contraception can perpetuate the assumption that reproduction is solely the responsibility of women. "A just population policy is not a policy that controls women’s bodies, but a policy that can ensure women can determine their bodies freely, safely, with dignity, and equally," said Komnas Perempuan member Chatarina Pancer Istiyani. "Women should not be viewed as numbers concerning fertility, contraceptive users, and number of pregnancies," she added.

The commission is pushing the government to strengthen human rights and gender equality perspectives in population policy by integrating the handling of gender-based violence into population planning and stopping population control approaches that make women objects. In addition, it calls for strengthening quality, affordable, and consent-based sexual and reproductive health services, as well as accelerating the reduction of maternal mortality rates, especially in underdeveloped regions. Komnas Perempuan also encourages an equal division of responsibility in reproduction and parenting, including the involvement of men, and the development of gender-responsive care economy and social protection policies. "A just population policy can only be realised when women are recognised as full subjects, not as instruments of population control," she said.