Author: Soutthanome Keola
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Thesis no.GD-99-4
Year: 1999
Academic Program: Gender and Development Studies (GDS)
Type: Thesis (M.Sc.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 1999
Examination Committee: Barbara Earth (Chairperson); Hideharu Morishita, Roger Hawkey, William Savage (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: Unmet needs in family planning are a result of failures in the technology of modern contraception and its unidirectional emphasis on women. Instead of being based in women’s needs for health and quality of life, promotion of modern contraceptives has been part of a global population control strategy. The demographic emphasis has neglected and overlooked the needs of people, and especially women in Third World countries. People who are living under the poverty line represent the majority of the Lao population. The feminist stand point theory expresses the view that development workers should understand women’s real life and issues to guide policies and programs. Therefore my analysis is based on women’s experience with modern contraceptives as influenced by their economically and socially marginal location in society. The main finding of the study is that women perceive themselves as completely responsible for contraception but are in general not happy with the experience of using the contraceptive methods. It is a cultural expectation that women accept all side effects, cost and inconvenience without troubling men. The result is women switching, mixing, and quitting contraceptive methods without their needs being met. Low income and low education are secondary to the cultural emphasis that women alone are responsible for reproductive matters. The control of population growth aims to control women’s reproductive organs, and there is an obvious gender bias in that system. The solution lies in shared reproductive responsibility between women and men. Initiatives within the family are the basic way to improve overall gender relations by rethinking cultural living patterns. More contraceptive options for men will remove some burden from women. Gender consciousness and shared responsibility will reduce population growth. However, it takes time. Therefore there is a need for improvement in family planning services to include education on reproductive cycle for men and women as well as concept of
Scholarship Donor(s): Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
Note: A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development
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