Abstract

This study was conducted to explore awareness regarding legal rights of reproductive healthcare among working women from both public and private sectors. For this qualitative study five working women were interviewed, two each from the public sector and the private sector and one from a nongovernment organization, Rahnuma, the Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP). A self-constructed semi-structured interview protocol was used. Thematic analysis was used to extract themes manually. To understand the level of awareness, availability of and access to family planning services, the impact of the Reproductive Healthcare and Rights Act, 2013 (RHRA), and women’s autonomy, challenges and role of society and culture, married women working in the public and private sectors and of the members of the Rahnuma were interviewed. Major themes that emerged from public and private sectors were knowledge, autonomy, socio-religious perspective and accessibility. The major themes that emerged from Rahnuma were documental weakness, society, religion, legislation, politics and challenges.