Lombok makes headway in family planning

Lombok makes headway in family planning

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Mataram

To most Lombok women, the term Keluarga Berencana (Family
Planning), better known as KB, only means lining up at the
Community Health Center (Puskesmas) to obtain contraceptives to
prevent them from having more than two children.

As revealed by Sumirah, 36, from Cakranegara village near
Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province, officials
from the local administration visited her village urging women to
use the intrauterine device (IUD) and other contraception
methods.

"They said if we didn't join the KB program, our lives would
be miserable," she said.

"Using the IUD has been very painful," claimed Hayati,
Sumirah's neighbor.

But the pain was nothing compared to the beating and threats
they receive from their husbands. Most men and religious leaders
accuse the women of avoiding their fate and violating their
religion by using the IUD or other contraceptives. For the women
it means they can avoid getting pregnant and plan the number of
children they want.

Head of the province's branch of the National Family Planning
Board (BKKBN), Lalu Burhan, said the implementation of the
national family planning program on Lombok island and other parts
of the province still faced constraints.

"As each province has its own tradition and culture, the
government must adjust the family planning program to the local
culture," he said.

In the early 1970s, Indonesia launched a massive family
planning program aiming to promote the concept of a small and
prosperous family by delaying marriage, spacing births and using
modern contraceptives. However, the significant success in
reducing the national fertility rate was also colored by the
misuse of the program to garner support for the then ruling
government.

Gender specialist of the province's social affairs agency,
Ratningdyah, said: "Lombok women were selected as the target of
the program due to their naivete and poor education."

Women are trapped between the government program and the
traditions of the local ethnic Sasak community. Community and
culture play a great role in influencing people's attitude toward
family planning, the desired sex of children and preferences on
family size.

"The Sasak community, who are mostly Muslims, require its
women to bear and raise children as a way to gain respect and
dignity in the society," said Ratningdyah.

The concept of a small family, with only two children, was not
valued in the society. Tradition says the more children they
have, the more prosperous they would be. Unfortunately, all the
burden a large family brings is borne by the women.

"A woman is a wife, a mother and also a breadwinner. Many
women go to the Puskesmas to get contraceptives without their
husbands' knowledge in fear of the violence they would face," she
said.

To ensure the success of the program here, the government must
consider a number of issues including the loose family values
among the Sasak people, high divorce rates, the poor general
health of women and children and the strong influence of Tuan
Guru (religious leaders) in the community.

"Tuan Guru has a very crucial role in promoting the ideas of
family planning program. If they ask the people to join it,
they'll follow," said Zubaedah, chairperson of the Family Welfare
Foundation.

She said a significant reconstruction of culture and religious
values in Sasak society was desperately required to enable the
public to accept the concept of a small and quality family as
well as to recognize the individual and reproductive rights of
women.

"It's a big and risky job. We must begin at the grass roots
and the educated class to the top religious leaders."

At the grassroots level, parents are encouraged to treat their
children equally. Boys should also be required to do household
chores while girls should have access to education and health
facilities.

Zubaedah said a small number of educated women and moderate
religious leaders have been trying to redefine the role of women
in the family, the society and the state.

"The Koran explicitly places women in a high position. It also
says that monogamy is better than polygamy."

Lalu admitted his job was very hard, especially in the era of
regional autonomy where each provincial administration takes on
almost all initiatives and responsibilities.

"It's very hard to change the image of KB among locals but we
have been implementing several strategies."

The program is now included in the public health and social
welfare systems.

"If we want to implement the programs we have to consider with
the well-being of babies, children, teenagers, mothers, fathers
and even grandparents," Lalu said.

The BKKBN is now working hand in hand with a large number of
religious leaders, Islamic boarding schools, universities and
non-governmental organizations in promoting the new paradigm of
family planning and the quality family concept among all members
of the society.

"It's important to inform women, husbands and children of the
benefits of joining the program and the impact on families," he
said.

The administration has received assistance from the European
Economic Community and other international organizations to help
empower poor families, who represent 50 percent of the total
population.

There's a long way to go in West Nusa Tenggara to improve the
people's welfare but, at least, there is a new enthusiasm among
the local administration, individuals and community leaders.

The writer visited Lombok island, West Nusa Tenggara, on the
invitation of the Johns Hopkins University's Center for
Communication Programs and the Indonesian Family Planning Board
(BKKBN), which are jointly implementing the Family Planning
Program.