Redefining the role of men in the family planning scenario

At a time when India is looking to increase women’s participation in the labor force (which has declined in recent years), in light of the recent World Contraception Day, it would be appropriate to examine how access to high-quality, affordable health care and family planning methods affects women’s educational potential, career and economic empowerment. Planned and delayed pregnancies give couples the opportunity to build a stronger economic foundation before taking on expenses and, in the case of women, restrictions related to supporting a family. Fewer children means a better allocation of resources and time for women to pursue a career outside the home. A woman who controls her fertility can plan her professional development and mobility much better. Frequent and unwanted pregnancies not only threaten women’s health, but also increase the costs of health care and career development.

Work needs to be done on men’s involvement in the family planning scenario (Stock)

Although no one believes that population should be controlled, fewer unintended pregnancies contribute greatly to resource depletion and environmental well-being. The focus should not only be on the contraceptive basket, but also on the woman’s awareness so that she knows what suits her best, taking into account her social situation and health parameters. Access to voluntary family planning should be recognized as an essential element of human rights and crucial to gender equality.

Sharmila Das, president of Purple Audacity, a method-neutral insight and strategy consultancy, says: “Over my three decades of experience, I have seen people move from lack of awareness and concern to critically questioning the importance of contraceptive use. and begin to identify the benefits of family planning and contraceptive use. As more choices of contraceptive methods become available, the focus has shifted from population management to enabling individuals to choose methods that meet their needs; men and women have found value in using contraception not only to limit family size, but also to prevent, delay, and space pregnancies. A key result is the increased agency we see among individuals and couples who choose to have children when they are emotionally, physically and financially prepared to provide their children with the level of care, education and comfort they desire. While there is still much work to be done, the side effect is an emerging generation of Indians who have greater access to the knowledge and resources to make decisions that lead to better physical, social, sexual and mental well-being.”

Work needs to be done on involving men in the family planning scenario. Research shows that even today, over a third of men believe that contraception is a woman’s responsibility, and a fifth actually believe that contraception contributes to promiscuity. Research shows that engaging men to play a supportive role in decisions about women’s health reduces gender-based violence and encourages shared partnership in decision-making about reproductive choices.

Unfortunately, male participation in India is still low. A large proportion of men still do not use contraception due to lack of awareness, fears and misconceptions, socio-cultural/family beliefs and patriarchal norms. This is partly due to completely unfounded fears that male contraceptive methods (vasectomy, for example) may compromise masculinity and sexual performance.

In many cultures, men have the final say in family decisions, including family planning, which can make it difficult for women to access contraceptives if men do not support them. Lack of communication and shared decision-making regarding family planning can result in inconsistent contraceptive use.

Pranita Achyut, director of research and programs at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), says: “For contraception to empower women and couples, they must have access to high-quality services and spaces at affordable prices to be able to make informed choices and decisions without fear against coercion. Promoting shared decision-making among partners using correct and comprehensive information is key to achieving the socio-demographic benefits of family planning.”

The views expressed are personal