Alya Hazfiarini

Thesis title

Adolescent pregnancy in Indonesia: Understanding maternity care use and quality

Description of PhD Project

Child marriage and adolescent pregnancy remain unfortunately common in Indonesia. Like other pregnant women, pregnant adolescents have the right to high-quality maternity care, defined by WHO as informed, respected, supportive and dignified care. However, social stigma towards child marriage and adolescent pregnancy exists in Indonesia, which can lead to suboptimal maternity care, poor pregnancy outcomes, and violations of human rights.

This PhD study will explore Indonesian adolescents use of maternity care and how adolescents are treated during pregnancy, childbirth and post birth to ensure adolescents receive high-quality and respectful care.

Supervisors

• Associate Professor Meghan Bohren
• Professor Caroline Homer
• Professor Tari Turner

Biography

Alya Hazfiarini is passionate about equal access to women's sexual and reproductive health rights. As a Research Assistant in the Gender and Women's Health Unit, she supports a range of global women's health research projects aiming to improve women's access to respectful, equitable and high quality maternity care.

Alya completed her Master of Public Health at The University of Melbourne sponsored by Australian Awards Scholarship. As part of her master degree, she undertook primary qualitative research on the provision of high quality maternity care during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Before pursuing her master degree, she worked on several maternal health research projects in rural areas of Indonesia.

Funding/scholarships

Melbourne Research Scholarship