The success of the family planning program in Situbondo, East Java, is proof that the role of religious leaders in debunking myths surrounding male contraception is important.
Situbondo, known for its Islamic boarding schools, has the highest number of vasectomy participants in Indonesia. As of 2010, 1,552 Situbondo men have undergone the procedure, making up 7 percent of the total number across the country.
"We have the active participation of the clerics in motivating people that contraception doesn't violate religious teaching," Safaruddin Gumay, the director of the male participation division of the Family Planning National Coordinating Body (BKKBN).
One of the existing problems is the relatively high cost of vasectomy compared to other contraceptive methods. In Indonesia, a vasectomy costs between Rp 4 million (US$440) and Rp 6 million.
Safaruddin recommended that the government allocate more resources to providing long-term contraceptives, especially for low income families, including free vasectomies.
He also highlighted the issue of wrong perceptions, saying many people thought a vasectomy was similar to a castration and would emasculate men. In a vasectomy, the vas deferens through which sperm pass into the semen are severed.
Many family planning advocates have campaigned for a greater participation by men.
Sonny Harry B. Harmadi, the director of the University of Indonesia's Demographic Institute, said Thursday that women should not bear sole responsibility for family planning, as they shouldered the heavy tasks of giving birth, breastfeeding and nurturing children.
"We need more balanced participation between men and women in reducing the country's fertility rate," he told The Jakarta Post.
Only 67 percent of couples participated in the national family planning program, he said, adding that increasing contraceptive rates may not be an easy task because it depended too much on women.
The BKKBN said 75,328 men joined the program in 2010, bringing the total to 713,160 male acceptors by the end of last year, surpassing the target of 690,000.
"We've seen increased awareness among men on the importance of their involvement in family planning programs," Safaruddin said.
Indonesia has 32 million couples participating in the national family planning program. In 2010, 7.1 million people joined the program, 3.7 million of them from low-income families and 254,500 of them male.
Despite the achievements, experts call for better efforts to be made due to the fact that only 1.1 percent of all family planning participants in Indonesia were male.
However, increasing male participation was more difficult as only two methods are available: condoms and vasectomy. A male contraceptive pill will be launched by the BKKBN.
Vasectomies have long been considered the most effective birth control method. "It's not only free from side effects but also is also 99.85 percent effective," Safaruddin said, adding that the number of men opting for the procedure was increasing steadily.
Last year, 2,009 men underwent the procedure, bringing the total number to 22,995 by the end of 2010. By the end of 2009, only 15,905 men had undergone a vasectomy. (ebf)