Media Aid Technical Assistance for Increasing Awareness of Parliamentarians on Reproductive Health Issues: A Starting Point for Achieving MDGs in Indonesia, 2011

After more than 25 years of impressive public health efforts to improve the health of maternal mortality in Indonesia, maternal mortality ratio (MMR) indicate that little progress has been made from 307 in 2002 become 228 in 2009. It is still far away from MDGs target 110 by 2015. There was a need to gather many efforts such as supporting from parliamentarians.

The aim of study was to describe awareness of parliamentarians on reproductive health (RH) issues. This research was part of  the  bigger survey of knowledge, attitude and committment on population, RH and gender. Data was collected  during July to October 2011 by using combination quantitative and qualitative approach. A self administer questionnaire used to know knowledge, attitude and committment and a purposive sampling method has been used. Indepth interviewed on three members of parliamentarians was conducted to describe the nature of parliamentarian member awareness.  Analysis was using descriptive and content analysis.

Generally, parliamentarian member had low awareness on RH issues. Parliamentarian member said that they have lack of information on RH issues.  They suggested that by providing them evidence-based information and statistics will be enabling them to take more proactive legislative actions.  Percentage of parliamentarians who stated that having difficulties to access RH information were 20%. Printed media and internet were mostly media that used by parliamentarians (70.8%).  Generally, they attitude towards RH issues were positive. However, their attitude was not automatically made them had committed on RH issues.  There were reasons that they believed had became their barriers such as political will from their party. 

It suggested that parliamentarians at all levels need to have regular technical support from technical agencies, especially for newly elected parliamentarians on RH issues through media aid such as fact-sheet media.