Attitudes of Family Planning Workers on the Provision of

Under the influences of economic globalisation, cultural change, public opinion and exposure to new ideas, sexual attitudes and norms have been rapidly changing among adolescents and young people in China and there is emerging evidence from rural and urban areas of increasing premarital sexual activity among adolescents and youth. Despite this, contraceptive practice remains limited and irregular . Several obstacles have been identified that inhibit the access of unmarried young people, particularly females, to contraceptive and other sexual and reproductive health services. Prominent among obstacles to the provision of sexual and reproductive health information and services is the persistence of traditional patriarchal norms controlling young women's sexuality on the part of adult gatekeepers – policymakers, programme managers, service providers and parents. Young people continue to have limited awareness of sexuality, contraception or sexually transmitted infection. They fear that by accessing services, they may inadvertently disclose their sexual activity status, and face parental disapproval, ostracism from and loss of face for the entire family. Gender power imbalances are wide and there is a tendency among young females to rely on partners for contraceptive decision-making. And there is concern that services do not cater to unmarried youth and that providers are judgmental, threatening and may violate young people’s confidentiality [1-3]