Knowledge, Preference and Agency on contraception: A comparative study on young married and unmarried women in Dhaka city

Abstract

This study deals three specific points put forward to explore ‘source of knowledge,’ ‘way of priority’ and ‘practice of sexual agency’ regarding contraception among young married and unmarried women in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. The study employs a qualitative research method based on feminist standpoint theory with a view to explore women’s experiences on knowledge, preference and agency regarding contraception. Firstly, ‘how does a person get to know about contraception?’ is explored by examining married and unmarried women’s view on the available sources that influence the preference of contraceptive. The study finds a significant difference in knowledge between married and unmarried women. Married women hold more knowledge than unmarried because of having social recognition and more accessibility than unmarried women in socio-cultural reality. The study also discovers a considerable variance regarding the practice of agency between married and unmarried women. Having good knowledge and appreciation in society play a lead role in favors of married women in this case. Finally, the qualitative findings indicate conservative social norms which considered sex as a taboo and strong cultural disapproval on the issue of sex in public discussion as the substantial challenge women face. Those challenges eventually lead the women to grow up having no sex education, with lack of women sexual agency in society and through an improper way of getting knowledge on contraception.