The advent of family planning as a social norm in Bangladesh: women’s experiences

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Abstract
In Bangladesh family planning has broadened women’s space within the family and society. Based on findings from ethnographic research in six villages, this paper describes how family planning came to be defined as a domain in which women are encouraged to take initiative, in contrast to other spheres of life. It traces women’s experiences and perceptions of family planning in the context offertility transition, and examines some of the effects of family planning on women’s lives. The results suggest that by bringing contraceptives to women in their homes, the family planning programme has empowered women within the reproductive sphere. At the same time, however, the patriarchal system that keeps women isolated and dependentis being reinforced. To counter this, a shift in emphasis towards clinic-based family planning services, improvements in quality of care, and interventions specifically aimed at reducing women’s social and economic dependence on men are advocated.RésuméAu Bangladesh, la planific...

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