A number of married women in the Nairai District of Fiji have been taking contraceptive implants without the knowledge of their husbands.
Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete Photo: Fiji Govt
The matter was raised by a concerned group of married men with Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete, at a Lomaiviti Provincial Council meeting last week.
The consultation with the government has since been heavily criticised by The Fiji Women's Rights movement.
Dr Waqainabete didn't respond to at least a dozen phone calls by RNZ Pacific to understand what happened.
Fiji's Permanent Secretary of Health Dr James Fong tried to clear things up on his behalf.
Dr Fong said he had listened to a recording of the meeting and clarified the minister's stance.
"It had absolutely nothing to do with consent. It was about both partners having to discuss family planning options. The minister reiterated the role couples counselling plays in family planning. He then said he would encourage family practitioners they work with the concept of counselling, rather than just dealing with one person."
Dr James Fong Photo: Fiji govt
Dr Fong has been an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist for more than 30 years.
Sharing his personal views, he said, "I do not believe that you need consent by either partner to indulge in family planning. Any adult over 18 should be able to make their own decision as to what family planning matter they need to control their fertility."
The Fiji Women's Rights Movement had been calling for clarification and accountability on the issue, saying "wives are not the property of their husbands".
The group's executive director, Nalini Singh said the Ministry of Health needed to do a better job at educating men about honouring their wives.
Nalini Singh Photo: Supplied/FWRM
"There should be dialogue and discourse. The minister must be encouraging that. It's this kind of thing that leads to frustration and violence within the families."
The group referred to Fiji as having one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world.
More than 60 percent of Fijian women experienced domestic violence at least once in their lifetime.
Fiji Women's Crisis Centre co-ordinator and Human Rights Activist Shamima Ali said family planning and improving women's rights needed to be a national conversation.
"We do find women who are not allowed to take contraception. Women have children one after the other. Particularly with the boy preference, if a woman gets pregnant they need to keep having a baby until a boy comes along. We need to talk about patriarchy and boy preference in our communities and society."
Shamima Ali Photo: Supplied/FWCC
Dr Fong said there was a lot of work to be done to improve women's rights in Fiji.
"To start, looking at straightening the family unit by ensuring that marriage partners are equal. It requires several values that need to be re-explored and evaluated so both men and women know what it means to be equal partners."
