3057.0: Monday, November 13, 2000 - Board 1

Abstract #14614

Are Bangladesh women empowered to take fertility decision

Sharif Mohammed Ismail Hossain, ME Khan, and Ubaidur Rob. Population Council, House CES(B) 21, Road no 118, Gulshan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 8821227, drsharif@popcouncil.bangla.net

Recently Bangladesh health and family planning program has been shifted from a bifurcated service delivery to an unified service delivery approach - fixed clinic (community clinic) to deliver a essential package of services (ESP) instead of home-to-home contraceptive distribution. This study examines the ability, mobility, willingness, and permeability of family planning client to avail that services through survey and focus group discussion. The study revealed that today Bangladeshi women are more empowered than 10 year before. The areas where women seem to have much more independence are reproduction and use of contraceptive method. Interesting enough, many women are contracepting without informing their husband. Other domains of family life where women now have some influence or independence include: movement out side home, participation in paid labor force and taking small decision about her own family. The majority of the women said that empowerment is due to women education, service, poverty, and even for as women headed country.

Learning Objectives: To know whether Bnagladeshi women are empowered enough to take fertility decision To examine if the women are empowered, what extent

Keywords: Family Planning, Family Planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Population Council
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA