Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of the National Family Planning Board (NFPB), Dr. Olivia McDonald, says men are continuing to determine the type of family planning methods used in relationships despite the advancement of Jamaican women.
Dr. McDonald has blamed this on the gender norms in the society which, she said, favour males and discriminate against females.
"As a result, too few women have control over when to have sex and whether to use protection against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases," she said.
GENDER EQUITY
Dr. McDonald was addressing the opening of a three-day conference on gender equity in Jamaica yesterday at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.
She said that, nationally, one in five women in the reproductive age group have had an experience of violence in an intimate relationship.
Meanwhile, Peter Parchment, director of the NFPB, said the findings of the National Reproductive Health Survey Data on gender, have also confirmed the gender disparity in the bedroom.
"Although young females complete more years of schooling than their young males, gender disparities in the labour market are preventing women from achieving economic security and participating in the decision making," he said.
But Mr. Parchment said the data also indicated that more women were negotiating safe sex in the relationship.
He said that 71 per cent of men engaged in sexual activity have reported that their partners initiated the discussion of condom use.
This is in comparison to 57 per cent of the women who reported that their male partners initiated the discussion on condom use.
He said the data showed that another 19 per cent reported
that they never discussed the situation.
The seminar aims to define gender, gender equity, gender responsibility and gender integration.
It will also discuss the context of gender in Jamaica; develop a framework for promoting gender equity in health programmes, and establishing support for gender integration in reproductive health programmes.
