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"Helping the husband, maintaining harmony" : the share of Indonesian women in family decision making
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: The perceived role of women in the family is to be a good wife, mother, housekeeper, manager of family resources and household activities. Men are to provide financial support. But in many occasions, especially under poverty condition, women are compelled to work outside the house for additional family income. Women see this as helping the husband, even though many women are the sole breadwinner of the family. However, work outside the house does not reduce the expected role of women. In the meantime, women carry double burden of taking care of the family matters and family income. Further, due to culture and religious believe, women are also expected to maintain harmony, related to husband-wife relationship. In conflict situation, it is the women who should give in and follow husband's wishes and need. This kind of belief/principle is a potential for domestic violence. This paper aims at presenting quantitative and qualitative findings on husband-wife's relationship, women's household autonomy, perception about domestic violence and refusal to have sex with husband. Data are derived from author's research finding in 1996 and the recent 2002/3 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey. The paper also provide ways to protect women through the provision of NGO services, integrated medical centers, police women's desk, and the Law on Anti-Domestic Violence number 23 of 2004.
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Indicators on Family Well-Being
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: With globalization, challenges facing the Filipino families have become more complex. Families try to cope with these challenges the best way they can, and, in the process, endangers the cohesiveness of families with children the hardest hit victims of such conditions. Governments try to provide programs and interventions to help families but oftentimes, these interventions are not sufficient since the problems are more deeply-rooted in the family system and is something that mere provision of services cannot simply address. And yet, the family remains to be an enduring institution in Philippine society. It is for these reasons that a study on possible indicators on the well-being of the Filipino family was conducted to track changes on family life over time. Family stability, parenting effectiveness, social responsibility, and rights perspective were the four major rights initially identified and discussed. This study is expected to lead towards the development of a score card for the Filipino Family Well-Being which can be done on a periodic basis.
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Protecting and strengthening families: challenges and strategies - Malaysian perspective
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: Over the past decade rapid transitions in Malaysian family structure and family life have occurred due to globalization, industrialization and socio-economic development. Education, economic activities, infusion of cultures, religion, migration, urbanization plus improvements in living standards all tend to have an impact on families and loosen the traditional structure. Some of the key changes that have reshaped Malaysian families include a smaller family size due to declining birth rate, increase in nuclear families, rise in marital break-up and single parent households and increased participation of women in the labour force by women. The traditional picture of a male breadwinner and female homemaker characterizes a smaller proportion of Malaysian families today. This paper focuses on the profile, issues and challenges confronting Malaysian Families, marriage, family relationships, need for balancing work and family life, role of father and impact of technology on the family. The role of the family in Malaysia is very crucial as the development of the human potential is a key component of the nine challenges as promulgated in Vision 2020. Various promotive, preventive and advocacy programmes and activities have been initiatives undertaken together with NG0s, the private and public sector as well as education and training institutions to ensure the strengthening of the family unit as well as helping families cope with the demands of contemporary living.
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Recent changes in Korean families: demographic, social and cultural perspective
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: This paper deals with recent changes in Korean families from diverse perspectives. Demographic conditions affecting family structure and family life in contemporary Korean society can be characterized as lowest-low fertility and speeding aging. Fertility in Korea drastically dropped to 1.08 of total fertility rate in 2005, one of the lowest records in the world. On the other hand, as a result of lowering fertility in part, aging has been proceeding too rapidly to adapt to new social environment. If aging continues with the current speed, it is easily predicted that Korean people will face financially unprecedented burden to support elderly within a short time. Lowest-low fertility and rapid aging have been clearly observed since the 1997 economic crisis in Korean society. In my view, Korean society has become an absolutely different society from that before the economic crisis. Not only social structure but also individual attitudes and behaviors and familial life had to be under restructuration right after the economic crisis. Thus, the economic crisis has to be regarded as a critical factor in recent family changes in Korea. Educational attainment for female has been expanded and comparable works for women have been increased. Thus, women had to have difficulties in finding marriageable men after the economic crisis. This has led to increasing age at first birth for both men and women, in other word delay marriage and family formation. Korean family has shown several new features in the late 1990s and early 2000s. One is the decreasing family formation. Another is increasing remarriage in Korea. Remarriage, in particular women's remarriage was negatively stigmatized according to a Confucian legacy to prohibit women's remarriage in traditional times. This custom has been remained for a long time. However, increasing divorce not only at younger ages but at middle and older ages has widened the possibility of remarriage for both men and women. Tolerance toward remarriage at the societal level has also greatly increased according to various family surveys. Even first-time marriage by men has been made with divorced or bereaved women. Another feature in contemporary marriage in Korea is a soaring international or interracial marriage, especially for Korean men. Single men in rural area have had so many difficulties in finding marriage partner because Korean women would not like to marry farmers or men residing in rural area. Under the shortage of marriageable women, rural men began to seek foreign bride, firstly from China and then Vietnam these day. Thus, more than one to ten marriages are now an interracial marriage in Korea. Changing demographic and familial conditions results in small size of family in Korea. The average number of household members is now less than three. On the other hand, one-person household is remarkably increasing in both urban and rural areas because of increasing divorce, deepening aging and increasing number of the female bereaved, and wide pursuit of independent life by younger generation. Also, with this trend, the proportion of female head of household is steadily increasing. However, female household heads are more suffering from poverty than male counterparts because of sex-discriminatory labor market, lack of women-friendly welfare policy and dual burden by the traditional patriarchal family system.
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Fertility transition in Asia in relation to family and population aging
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: Declining fertility and increasing longevity have brought about remarkable shifts in the age structure of the population. Europe, Northern America and Australia/New Zealand initially experienced one of such inevitable demographic events, that is population aging. While the transition from the young-age population to the aging population occurred over a much longer period in the West, the speed of aging is much faster in low-fertility countries of Asia. This has now emerged as a new issue challenging many low-fertility countries in Asia, as it has implications for the family and caring for the older persons. This paper provides a general overview of the fertility transition in Asia and factors affecting the fertility decline. Focusing on low-fertility countries in Asia, the paper highlights the implications of low fertility on population aging. Various indicators of population aging, such as the changes in age structure, potential support ratio and feminization of the elderly population, are presented for a better understanding of the overall situation. Comparisons are made with Europe, Northern America and Australia/New Zealand to put forward the magnitude of the challenge. As the Asian region contains over 60 percents of the global population and has experienced a rapid decline in fertility, the absolute size of the older population is a major concern. While the overall population growth rate has been declining over time, the number of older persons is increasing at a rate at least twice as high. In addition to the increase in older persons, a gender disparity in the improvements in the life expectancy at birth is likely to be illiterate and living in poverty. Providing family support, health care and financial security are some of the contentious issues aging societies will face. There have been discussions concerning the possibility of increasing fertility in countries with below replacement fertility. It is, therefore, crucial for governments to plan for an aging society long before fertility reaches a very low level. Meanwhile, it is important for Asian countries to recognize the significance of aging problems and start formulating policies for the elderly given that it takes several decades for government old-age pension insurance schemes to mature and operate at full scale. It would be more difficult for families to care for their older members because families would be smaller, people would live longer and the migration of young adults would mean that families would fragment. the present trends present a major challenge to address the needs of families. It is, therefore, important to consider the present trends in designing social policies, put the family at the centre of any future social policy development and examine good national practices when designing a new approach to family policies.
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Delayed marriage and the fertility crisis in East and Southeast Asia
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: The fertility transition in Asian Countries is part of the worldwide fertility transition and one of the most fundamental events of the last half of the 20th century. In general, this has been associated with greatly increased child survival and changes in the economy and society resulting from economic development. But there have been puzzling differences between countries. The fertility crisis used to refer to the countries with high fertility but now attention has shifted to those with very low fertility, a number of which are in Asia.
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Emerging role of daughters in the context of new challenges and opportunities of maintaining family system
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: My paper is based upon a long term study of the role of educated working women in the maintenance and revitatlisation of the institution of family in India in the urban settings in the era of modernisation. The institution of family has been stressed due to the pressures of nuclearisation and/or downward mobility in urban India. It is more pronounced among the lower-middle and middle classes where the women belonging to these sections are making large scale entry into the spheres of modern education and age employment. It has affected the norms about marriage and family in many ways for women including increase in the age at marriage and remaining unmarried due to the imperatives of career of family responsibilities. But my study has resulted into the conclusion that there is increasing visibility of 'daughter supported families' where the working daughters are performing a) central, b) crucial, and c) useful role in maintenance of the family system inspite of their remaining unmarried. This is a significant change where failure of patrilineality is duly compensated by the constructive role of unmarried working daughters in the continuity of family system.
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Protecting and strengthening the family through National Family Planning Programme: Indonesia's experience
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: Indonesia, similar to other countries in the region, has been experiencing problems that threaten family cohesiveness, such as: poverty, prolonged socio-economic crisis, modernization and globalization. If not addressed adequately these threats to family cohesiveness will also be potential threat to the development of human resources in Indonesia. Thus protecting the family becomes an important aspects for the development of the nation, requiring contribution of three major parties, namely: government commitment; family motivation; and community support. The paper examines the Indonesian government's efforts to protect and strengthen families through the national family planning program. The Indonesia's family Planning program was established in early 1970. After the ICPD 1994, the program has expanded its mission and dealt not only with contraceptive services and family welfare but also other aspects of reproductive health and reproductive rights as well, shifting its vision to become quality family, instead of small and happy family. High commitment of the Government towards promoting Family Planning and Welfare is expressed through legal policy aspects and the programmatic interventions.
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The development of antisocial behaviour in adolescence: child,family, peer and school influences
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: This paper focuses on pathways to antisocial behaviour in adolescence, as well as resilience against antisocial behaviour, with particular attention being given to family influences on these pathways. Findings are presented from an ongoing, 23-year longitudinal study that has followed a large sample of Australian children from infancy to early adulthood thus far. Some of the important messages emerging from the three large reports completed between 2002 and 2005 are discussed, including: there is not one single pathway to antisocial behaviour, rather there are multiple pathways that can begin in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. Many children seem to embark on problematic pathways early in life, but there is considerable change at key transition points; the detection of sensitive periods of change can provide opportunities to intervene to help children move off problematic pathways; many at-risk children are resilient to the development of antisocial behaviour and we can learn from them what supports are needed; and finally, particular parenting styles can ameliorate or amplify the influence of child characteristics on antisocial behaviour.
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Protecting and strengthening the family: challenges and opportunies
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: Findings from the Malaysian Population and Family Survey 2004. Perceptions of relationships among family members found that as many as 98.5% of women said they had good family relationships comprising 99% Malays, 98% Chinese and 95% Indians. A total of 99% of men also stated that they have good family relationships, namely 99.2% Malays, 98.0% Chinese and 98.2% Indians. Meanwhile, 99.3% of women who did not have financial problems stated that they had good family relationships compared to 98.3% who had financial problems.
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Interaction among family members: a Malaysian case study
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: The perceived relationship among family members are 98.5% of women said that they have good family relationship while 99% of men said the same. Meanwhile, 99.3% of women who did not have financial difficulty stated that they have good family relationship compared to those who have financial difficulty represented by 98.3%.
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The 39th session of the Commission on Population and Development on agenda item 4: general debate on national experience in population matters: international migration and development, New York, 5 April 2006
Item Type: Country Statement
Editor:
Year: 05/04/2006
Abstract: International migration, inter-alia, helps to ensure labour market flexibility and reduce labour market rigidity. At the same time, it must also be acknowledged that the impact of international migration, particularly low skilled foreign workers, on the receiving country's economy and society can be both positive and negative.
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SMARTSTART module
Item Type: Module
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Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: Couples planning to get married must be well prepared in order to create a harmonious marriage. Hence, the National Population and Family Development Board organises the SMARTSTART Premarital Programme for couples who are planning to get married and those who have recently married (not more than five years) in four languages, i.e. Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil.
This module has been developed to provide newly married couples and those who are planning to get married with knowledge and skills on the various aspects of marriage and parenting so as to support them psychologically and prepare them for a harmonious marriage life.
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International migration and development
Item Type: Newsletter
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Year: 00/07/2006
Abstract: The Government of Malaysia acknowledges the positive elements of international migration in economic development. International migration, inter-alia, helps to ensure labour market rigidity. At the same time, it must also be acknowledged that the impact of international migration, particularly low skilled foreign workers, on the receiving country's economy and society can be both positive and negative.
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Fertility decline due to late marriages
Item Type: Newsletter
Editor:
Year: 00/01/2006
Abstract: Rising education, delayed and non-marriage will become more prevalent. Marriage postponement shortens childbearing span, and it will result in further fertility decline. Changes in marital structure have significant implications on the family system and the care of older persons. With rising age at marriage and consequently delayed childbearing , many retirees are still supporting children who are studying in institutions of higher learning.
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Tingkah laku seks di kalangan warga 45 tahun dan ke atas
Item Type: Research Report
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: An opinion survey on 'Sexual Behavior Among Citizens 45 Years and Above' which was first conducted by the Human Reproduction Division (BRM) was conducted in the Klang Valley area from February to June 2003. The 'Convenience Sampling' sampling method was used where respondents who meet certain criteria fill in the questionnaire themselves. A total of 473 respondents consisting of 50.1% Malays, Indians (26.6%) and Chinese (23.3%) where men (53.5%) outnumber than women (46.5%). The majority of respondents comprised the age group of 50-59 years (41.25%). From the 220 female respondents, only 7.3% took hormone replacement therapy. The results of the study found that the importance and satisfaction of sex decreases with age where it is more pronounced among women than men. The frequency of sexual intercourse is performed in the range of 4-8 times a month (46.3%). Although only 16.7% of respondents had sex-related problems, 70.9% of them did not know the source of help and treatment for their problems. Among those who received treatment, 56.4% chose to seek modern treatment. 55.7% of respondents with sexual problems have at least one chronic disease. A total of 85.6% disagreed and looked for another partner as a way out of sex -related problems. Expectations for better sex in the future are still high at 69.1%. In conclusion, for middle-aged and above despite the declining importance of sexual intercourse, their right to access to knowledge and services related to sexual problems needs to be addressed immediately, especially by medical practitioners, especially the Human Reproduction Division and LPPKN in general. A systematic and ‘gender-sensitive’ approach can help overcome the problem of family institutional breakdown and problems related to incest.
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