Family Planning: Indonesia #2
In 1991 I visited a second Yogyakarta clinic that was part of a private organisation, the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (PKBI). It was founded in 1957. They offered (and still offer) educational services such as school sex education, counselling and family planning programs.
One of these programs was highly innovative and potentially very contentious. Becak (pedal-cab) drivers and their wives were the target group. Participants received a loan to purchase their own vehicle and become self-employed. The program included financial training. An early form of micro-loan!
Yogyakarta Becak 1991
Controversially, couples could purchase insurance against pregnancy for a nominal amount. A free termination was available in the first year after participating in the program. Abortion insurance was certainly an unexpected service in a nation with very active religions. Not only does Indonesia have the largest Muslim population (88%) in the world, there are large active Christian minorities (8%).
PKBI Yogyakarta works with street children, gay men, transvestites and female sex workers. It is a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, ‘a global service provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all’.
The IPPF is pro-choice:
We aim to reduce the number of abortions worldwide that are unsafe. Our Member Associations are committed to identifying actions that will increase a woman’s right to access abortion-related services, including counselling and post-abortion care, as well as safe abortion services.
They target the 5 A’s: abortion, access, adolescents, advocacy and AIDS/HIV. As does the PKBI, whose mission includes, ‘to fight for reproductive and women's sexual rights … linked with various alternatives to the handling of unwanted pregnancy.’ It is no surprise that they try to promote inter-faith dialogue. Indonesia is a secular nation but has religious-based political parties and morality is a hot political issue. Sex education, contraception and abortion are all contentious topics.
1991 PKBI Pamphlet
I’ve been trying to find out, without success so far, if the PKBI Yogyakarta clinic still works with becak drivers and if there is any kind of loan scheme happening.
There are a number of international NGOs who support Indonesia’s family planning program. The Ford Foundation is one of these:
We focus on strengthening the capacity of key leaders across the legal and health sectors to advocate for proven best practices and effective policy reforms. We also support organizing and advocacy among those who are most affected by these challenges, and collaborations among movements that address related social inequities.
Promoting Reproductive Rights And The Right To Sexual Health
Barack Obama, following in the footsteps of Bill Clinton, lifted bans on giving US aid to overseas groups like PKBI and IPPF:
President Obama on Friday repealed a controversial Reagan-era measure that blocks funding to foreign aid groups that perform or promote abortions...
Obama reverses abortion aid ban
As indicated in Indonesia #1, USAID wound up their family planning work there in 2006.
Always so insightful…thank you very much for this, Kevin. Try to find out if it still exists and tell us, please.
It is an initiative that should be implanted in Brazil, in the entire South America. But, unfortunately, they are not present here.
Also, great news from Obama. I didn’t know that.
About a year ago I got to interview the Chilean doctor and biologist Humberto Maturana. He said a crucial thing: one thing is to consider abortion as something condemnable; other completely different is to negate to expose oneself to any sexual education that allows birth rate to be regulated. I think we have to distinguish it clearly. And the problem regarding this is not between science and religion. The problem is between scientists and religious people.
Thanks again! Great post.
Luan
Thank you! I’ll do my best to find out.
Interesting post as usual Kevin. You know in the Philippines, most population programs are always “blocked” or opposed by the Catholic Church.
Interesting post Kevin. I am sure an organization like that would encounter huge obstacles in the implementation of its projects in many developed countries, starting with the one where I’m from. It’s good to know they can work in Indonesia.