Role of ‘Authoritative Knowledge'in shaping Women's perception and practice of family planning in Pakistan

In the patriarchal culture of Pakistan, there is a highest unment need for family planning particularly among rural women who are seldom ableto practice their reproductive rightsdue to sociocultural restraints, which deprive women over the control of her body, Themain aim of thisstudy is to validatethe hypothesis, that cultural and psychological factors, particularly “authoritative knowledge” influence the women's decision on issues regarding fertility regulation. To identify these factors, an in-depth anthropological study was conducted and informal ethnographic interviews were taken during one yearfieldwork in a village. Field findings reveal that rural women had little say in the decision making process with regards to the family size and fertility rate, becauseofthesocialconstraintsand culturally, traditionallydefined norms. Similarly, a high percentage of them acknowledged that it is the right of married women to determine their family size. Themostinteriguing aspectofthisstudywasrevealed when women informed that they preferred to avoid discussing those matters with their husband which may annoy them and can become a couse of conflict. The interesting part of this finding was the fact that not a single woman said that she would argue with her husband. This study re-enforces this hypothesis, with the added fact that the role of males is essential to increase contraceptive use and to promote couple's joint decision-making.