Working for Change

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HealthWiki > Where Women Have No Doctor > Chapter 13: Family Planning > Working for Change

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In this chapter:

 

In this chapter:

Some people would like to space or limit the number of children they have, but cannot use family planning. This can happen because:

• information about family planning is not available.
• some methods are not available or are too expensive.
• there are no family planning services nearby, or the local health worker is not trained to provide family planning services.
• religious beliefs forbid the use of family planning.
• a person’s partner does not agree with the use of family planning.

How people can make family planning services more widely used and available:

• Provide education. Share information about family planning with everyone, not just married adults or just women. Talk about its benefits and help people choose the best methods for them. Lead discussions with people about family planning concerns and experiences and how to prevent STIs including HIV.
• Provide family planning methods. Have local health workers get trained to provide family planning services in the community. Work through community groups to meet the needs of those who others will not serve.
• Train men to be outreach workers to help men understand their role in reproduction. Try to change attitudes about what is “manly” so that men will support and participate in family planning with their partners.
• Do not make assumptions about who needs family planning or what they should use. A person’s appearance, gender, income, or age cannot tell you what kinds of sex they have, if any, or with whom they have it. Unless they tell you, you cannot know what they need or what methods might work best for them.
• Approach everyone with compassion and respect as you counsel on family planning. Remember that people of all sexes, gender identities, ages, education levels, races, ethnicities, religions, socioeconomic levels, and experiences need family planning for different reasons. Be prepared to talk about and provide support to people who are different from you.
• Address local religious concerns. If a family planning method can be explained in a way that respects religious beliefs, it will help create more acceptance of it.

Remind others that family planning improves the health and quality of life of everyone.

This page was updated:13 Nov 2023