OPINION: All Family Planning Should Be Voluntary, Safe and Fully Informed

Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin is the Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.By Dr. Babatunde OsotimehinUNITED NATIONS, Nov 26 2014 (IPS)The tragic deaths and injuries of women following sterilisation in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh have sparked global media coverage and public concern and outrage.Now we must ensure that such a tragedy never occurs again.Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin. Credit: UNFPAThe women underwent surgery went with the best intentions – hoping they were doing the right thing for themselves and their families.Now their husbands, children and parents are left to live without them, reeling with deep sadness, shock and mourning.The only way to respond to such a tragedy is with compassion and constructive action, with a focus on human rights and human dignity.Every person has the right to health. And this includes sexual and reproductive health—for safe motherhood, for preventing and treating HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and for family planning.Taking a human rights-based approach to family planning means protecting the health and the ability of women and men to make their own free and fully informed choices.All family planning services should be of quality, freely chosen with full information and consent, amongst a full range of modern contraceptive methods, without any form of coercion or incentives.The world agreed on these principles 20 years ago in Cairo at the International Conference on Population and Development.G...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Asia-Pacific Development & Aid Education Gender Gender Violence Global Headlines Health Human Rights IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse Population Poverty & MDGs Women's Health Contraception Family Planning India International C Source Type: news