Demographic and Health Survey 2009-10 - Timor-Leste Ministry of ...

15.7 CURRENT USE OF CONTRACEPTION BY WOMEN’S STATUS
A woman’s desire and ability to control her fertility and her choice of contraceptive method
are in part affected by her status in the household and her own sense of empowerment. A woman who
feels that she is unable to control her life may be less likely to feel that she can make and carry out
decisions about her fertility. She may also feel the need to choose methods that are less obvious or
which do not depend on her husband’s cooperation. Table 15.9 shows the distribution of currently
married women by contraceptive method used, according to the three empowerment indicators.
The data indicate that there is a positive relationship between use of contraception and
participation in household decisionmaking. For example, current use of modern contraceptive
methods rises from 13 percent among women who participate in none of the household decisions to
21 percent among women who participate in one or more household decisions. Also noteworthy is the
finding that women who believe that wife beating is justified for all of the five specified reasons are
most likely to use a method of contraception. There is no clear trend in using a method of
contraception and the belief in a woman’s right to refuse sexual intercourse with her husband. Perhaps
this could also be attributed to the fact that women less often justify a wife refusing sex with her
husband for any reason due to cultural norms.
Table 15.9 Current use of contraception by women's status
Percent distribution of currently married women age 15-49 by current contraceptive method, according to selected indicators of
women's status, Timor-Leste 2009-10
Empowerment indicator
Any
method
Any
modern
method
222 | Women’s Empowerment and Demographic and Health Outcomes
Female
sterilization
Modern methods
Temporary
modern
female
methods 1
Male
condom
Any
traditional
method
Not
currently
using Total
Number
of
women
Number of decisions in
which women participate 2
0 16.2 12.5 0.0 12.5 0.0 3.8 83.8 100.0 95
1-2 23.8 21.4 0.7 20.7 0.0 2.4 76.2 100.0 765
3-4 22.2 21.2 0.8 20.1 0.3 1.1 77.8 100.0 7,047
Number of reasons for which
wife beating is justified 3
0 19.1 18.2 0.8 17.4 0.0 0.9 80.9 100.0 895
1-2 23.0 21.7 1.2 20.2 0.2 1.3 77.0 100.0 1,867
3-4 22.3 21.3 0.7 20.3 0.3 0.9 77.7 100.0 3,414
5 23.5 21.6 0.6 20.8 0.2 1.9 76.5 100.0 1,730
Number of reasons given for
refusing to have sexual
intercourse with husband 4
0 22.5 21.8 0.6 20.5 0.7 0.8 77.5 100.0 876
1-2 27.8 26.3 1.1 24.8 0.3 1.5 72.2 100.0 2,484
3 19.3 18.2 0.6 17.4 0.1 1.2 80.7 100.0 4,546
Total 22.3 21.1 0.8 20.1 0.2 1.2 77.7 100.0 7,906
Note: If more than one method is used, only the most effective method is considered in this tabulation.
1 Pill, IUD, injectables, implants, female condom, diaphragm, foam/jelly, lactational amenorrhea method and standard days method
2 See Table 15.5.1 for the list of decisions.
3 See Table 15.6.1 for the list of reasons
4 See Table 15.7.1 for the list of reasons
15.8 IDEAL FAMILY SIZE AND UNMET NEED BY WOMEN’S STATUS
The ability of women to make decisions effectively has important implications for their
fertility preferences and the practice of family planning. An increase in women’s status and
empowerment is recognized as important for efforts to reduce fertility through at least two main