ISSN: 2222-6990
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The main objective of this study is to assess the cultural attitudes of the Rohingya community, and the role of gender to define the responsibilities of Rohingya men and women in their Reproductive Decision Making. Qualitative research methods were applied where Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from participants. Gender segregated FGDs and KIIs with service provider representatives and in-depth interviews with Rohingya couples were facilitated given the cultural sensitivity of the community talking about reproductive health. Results revealed that early marriage is one of the major cultural practices in Rohingya society. There are different reasons behind girl’s early marriage of Rohingya girls. Rohingya parents believe that having more daughters living at home is a burden, and the community uses harsh language and makes offensive comments to the families. Second, having a large family increases the family's strength to work in their own agriculture and protects them from neighbourhood conflicts. In addition, having a larger family would strengthen their community to fight the Burmese army. Finally, cultural attitudes of Rohingya men and women toward reproductive decision-making were discussed, emphasizing key factors and participants' perspectives.
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