Men told to get into contraception

Men told to get into contraception

Padang, West Sumatra: Khoifafh Indar Parawansa, chairwoman of
the National Family Planning Board, said one of the major
obstacles facing the country's family planning program was the
lack of participation and interest on the part of husbands.

"It's not only that, but the participation of husbands in
ensuring the health of the mother and child, along with
preventing maternal death, is also low," Khoififah, who is also
the state minister of women's empowerment, said here on Thursday.

She said that according to official statistics, men comprise
only 1.1 percent of the participants in the family planning
program, of which 0.7 percent use condoms and the rest opt for
vasectomies.

Antara news agency reported that compared to other developing
countries, that number was low.

In Malaysia, for example, men comprise 16.8 percent of family
planning participants, in Bangladesh this number is 13.9 percent
and in Pakistan 5.2 percent.

Khoififah cited "cultural impediments" as the main reason for
the men's lack of participation in Indonesia, where matters such
as contraception are seen as a woman's issue.

"Another factor which is also quite significant is the limited
number of contraceptive devices for men and information about
them," she said, adding that she would like to see the number of
husbands involved in family planning rise to 10 percent by
2005.(mds)