10,963
edits
Gynopedia needs your support! Please consider contributing content, translating a page, or making a donation today. With your support, we can sustain and expand the website. Gynopedia has no corporate sponsors or advertisers. Your support is crucial and deeply appreciated.
Pakistan: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
→List of Additional Resources
| (8 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown) | |||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
'''OVERVIEW''' | '''OVERVIEW''' | ||
In Pakistan, | In Pakistan, birth control pills and condoms can be legally obtained without a prescription. While many Pakistani women do not use modern contraceptive methods, you can find condoms, birth control pills, IUDs, shots, injectables and more. You can also purchase emergency contraception (the morning after pill) without a prescription at pharmacies, health centers or clinics, and there are no age restrictions. The lowest cadre of health worker who is allowed to sell or dispense EC are auxiliary nurse midwives. You can receive STD/STI tests in Karachi, and there are no travel or residency restrictions attached to HIV status. Currently, there are no national programs in place for PrEP or HPV vaccines. Maternity care is provided for generally 45 days. If you are seeking out an abortion, it is only permitted in a few special circumstances, which we detail below. Many women in Pakistan resort to unsafe clandestine abortions every year, which are not recommended. Rather, if a woman is interested in seeking out an abortion, we provide recommended resources to help you in the "Abortion" section below. | ||
==Contraception (Birth Control)== | ==Contraception (Birth Control)== | ||
| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ||
In Pakistan, | In Pakistan, some forms of birth control, such as birth control pills and condoms, are available without a prescription. It is estimated that 38.5% of Pakistani women use some form of contraception. The most popular methods are male condom (9.9%), female sterilization (9.8%), withdrawal (8.4%), injectable (3.2%) and IUD (2.6%).<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf]</ref> The Pakistani government is concerned about the surging population and maternal mortality rate, so it has sought to emphasize family planning. However, contraceptive usage remains fairly low. This can be partially understood through the social, political and religious lens of modern Pakistan. | ||
The Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP) was founded in 1953. The founder, Saeeda Waheed, was an advocate of birth control. FPAP was a part of Third Five Year Plan (1965–1970), which helped lay the foundation for Pakistani family planning strategy. During that period, the main contraceptive method switched from condoms to IUDs. Yet, in 1977, the government of General Zia ul-Haq banned publicity for family planning, amidst extreme political turmoil and the declaration of martial law. After Zia's power ended, family planning and population control went under the Ministry of Health, which has unfortunately remained fairly unchanged for the last 35 years. In recent years, there has been an effort to bring health care providers to women's homes, similar to the successful Bangladeshi door-to-door services. Yet, Pakistan's family planning policies still lag behind other Muslim nations, like Iran and Bangladesh, while military spending takes precedence over many other aspects of Pakistani society, including family planning. As reported by the Washington Post in 2011, "Over 50 years, Pakistan’s fertility rate has dropped from about six children per woman to an average of about four. But the decline has been far too slow for the country to reach its target of 2.2 children per woman by 2020."<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/family-planning-is-a-hard-sell-in-pakistan/2011/11/08/gIQANeGcuO_story.html?utm_term=.7045df7d0d38 Family planning is a hard sell in Pakistan]</ref> | The Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP) was founded in 1953. The founder, Saeeda Waheed, was an advocate of birth control. FPAP was a part of Third Five Year Plan (1965–1970), which helped lay the foundation for Pakistani family planning strategy. During that period, the main contraceptive method switched from condoms to IUDs. Yet, in 1977, the government of General Zia ul-Haq banned publicity for family planning, amidst extreme political turmoil and the declaration of martial law. After Zia's power ended, family planning and population control went under the Ministry of Health, which has unfortunately remained fairly unchanged for the last 35 years. In recent years, there has been an effort to bring health care providers to women's homes, similar to the successful Bangladeshi door-to-door services. Yet, Pakistan's family planning policies still lag behind other Muslim nations, like Iran and Bangladesh, while military spending takes precedence over many other aspects of Pakistani society, including family planning. As reported by the Washington Post in 2011, "Over 50 years, Pakistan’s fertility rate has dropped from about six children per woman to an average of about four. But the decline has been far too slow for the country to reach its target of 2.2 children per woman by 2020."<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/family-planning-is-a-hard-sell-in-pakistan/2011/11/08/gIQANeGcuO_story.html?utm_term=.7045df7d0d38 Family planning is a hard sell in Pakistan]</ref> | ||
| Line 116: | Line 116: | ||
===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ||
In Pakistan, abortion is only legal under two circumstances. The first reason is when the woman's life is endangered by the pregnancy. The second reason is “necessary treatment” early in the pregnancy, which may be interpreted as when termination of the pregnancy would preserve the | In Pakistan, abortion is only legal under two circumstances. The first reason is when the woman's life is endangered by the pregnancy. The second reason is “necessary treatment” early in the pregnancy, which may be interpreted as when termination of the pregnancy would preserve the physical or mental health of the woman. However, in all other circumstances, including when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, when there is risk of fetal impairment, social or economic reasons or availability upon request, are not permitted. According to the Guttmacher Institute, "Given a lack of clarity in interpreting the law, legal abortion services are difficult to obtain, and most women who have an abortion resort to clandestine and unsafe procedures."<ref>[https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/unintended-pregnancy-and-induced-abortion-pakistan Unintended Pregnancy and Induced Abortion In Pakistan]</ref> | ||
Regarding punishment, according to a UN report, "On the one hand, the law retains features of the old law. Penalties for the crime are still dependent upon which of two stages of development the pregnancy has reached and on whether the woman consents or not. In some cases, they also include imprisonment, now denominated a ta’zir penalty. On the other hand, the law defines the stages of pregnancy in terms of the formation of organs or limbs according to Islamic law principles and it introduces the distinctive Islamic law penalty of compensation or diyah in the case of late-term pregnancies. Finally, the new law is somewhat ambiguous: there is no clear demarcation of the two stages of pregnancy or definition of what constitutes “necessary treatment”. Indeed, the law has been criticized for just this reason."<ref>[http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm UN Report: Pakistani Abortion Law]</ref> | Regarding punishment, according to a UN report, "On the one hand, the law retains features of the old law. Penalties for the crime are still dependent upon which of two stages of development the pregnancy has reached and on whether the woman consents or not. In some cases, they also include imprisonment, now denominated a ta’zir penalty. On the other hand, the law defines the stages of pregnancy in terms of the formation of organs or limbs according to Islamic law principles and it introduces the distinctive Islamic law penalty of compensation or diyah in the case of late-term pregnancies. Finally, the new law is somewhat ambiguous: there is no clear demarcation of the two stages of pregnancy or definition of what constitutes “necessary treatment”. Indeed, the law has been criticized for just this reason."<ref>[http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm UN Report: Pakistani Abortion Law]</ref> | ||
| Line 126: | Line 126: | ||
* If you're considering an abortion, it's recommended that you contact [http://mariestopespk.org/ Marie Stopes Pakistan], Phone:(92-21) 111-538-538) or [http://asap-asia.org/ ASAP Asia] - Phone: 0307-4940707 (Urdu, Punjabi), 0315-9473399 (Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi), 0315-9473399 (Urdu, Sindhi), 033 – 60231416 (Siraiki) for details. They can help advise you about local resources and what the best options may be for you. | * If you're considering an abortion, it's recommended that you contact [http://mariestopespk.org/ Marie Stopes Pakistan], Phone:(92-21) 111-538-538) or [http://asap-asia.org/ ASAP Asia] - Phone: 0307-4940707 (Urdu, Punjabi), 0315-9473399 (Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi), 0315-9473399 (Urdu, Sindhi), 033 – 60231416 (Siraiki) for details. They can help advise you about local resources and what the best options may be for you. | ||
* You can potentially get the "abortion pill" by mail. Check out [https://www.womenonweb.org/en/i-need-an-abortion this link] for details. | * You can potentially get the "abortion pill" by mail. Check out [https://www.womenonweb.org/en/i-need-an-abortion this link] for details. | ||
* If you are considering leaving the country to obtain a legal abortion, you can legal | * If you are considering leaving the country to obtain a legal abortion, you can access legal abortion services in [[Turkey]], [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[China]], and [[Vietnam]]. | ||
===Costs=== | ===Costs=== | ||
| Line 146: | Line 146: | ||
* [http://www.t2f.biz/ T2F]: "Coffeehouse tradition is all about sparking conversations and we are passionate about providing a platform for people to engage with each other. A community space for open dialogue, T2F features a café and bookshop and hosts poetry readings, meetups with writers, talks, debates, theatre performances, film screenings, open mic nights, jam sessions, and standup comedy." Address: 10-C, Sunset Lane 5, Phase 2 Extension, DHA, Karachi-75500. Phones: +(92-21) 3538-9033 and +(92-21) 3538-9043. E-mail: info@peaceniche.org. | * [http://www.t2f.biz/ T2F]: "Coffeehouse tradition is all about sparking conversations and we are passionate about providing a platform for people to engage with each other. A community space for open dialogue, T2F features a café and bookshop and hosts poetry readings, meetups with writers, talks, debates, theatre performances, film screenings, open mic nights, jam sessions, and standup comedy." Address: 10-C, Sunset Lane 5, Phase 2 Extension, DHA, Karachi-75500. Phones: +(92-21) 3538-9033 and +(92-21) 3538-9043. E-mail: info@peaceniche.org. | ||
* [https://www.facebook.com/Peace-Foundation-Pakistan-378574918921299/ Peace Foundation Pakistan]: "Free women from man made constrains and ideologies, a gender friendly environment, where separation of gender will not be based on physical and biological look. To work for sexually empowerment of women believing sovereignty power over her bodily decisions. Strive to bring about gender equality in sexual and reproductive related issues with participatory approaches." Call +92 233 876239. | * [https://www.facebook.com/Peace-Foundation-Pakistan-378574918921299/ Peace Foundation Pakistan]: "Free women from man made constrains and ideologies, a gender friendly environment, where separation of gender will not be based on physical and biological look. To work for sexually empowerment of women believing sovereignty power over her bodily decisions. Strive to bring about gender equality in sexual and reproductive related issues with participatory approaches." Call +92 233 876239. | ||
* [http://www.awaregirls.org/ Aware Girls]: "Aware Girls is young women led Organisation working for women empowerment, gender equality, and peace in Pakistan. We are working to strengthen the leadership capacity of young women enabling them to act as agents of social change and women empowerment in their communities." Email: aware_girls@yahoo.com, info@awaregirls.org; Phone: +92-91-5863990; Sahailee Women’s Hotline: 03159170408 | |||
* [https://genderinteractivealliance.wordpress.com/ Gender Interactive Alliance]: "Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA) is an organization working for the equality and civil rights of transgender people in Pakistan." | |||
* [https://hands.org.pk/our-services/livelihood-enhancement/ Marginalised Area Reproductive Health Viable Initiative (MARVI)]: Network of women who go door to door in villages and sell contraceptives | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||