Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin is the Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
UNITED 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: UNFPA
The 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.
Governments also agreed on the goals to achieve universal education and reproductive health by 2015, to reduce child and maternal mortality, and to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women.As we mourn the loss of the women who died in India, we must make sure that no more women suffer such a fate.
The Cairo Conference shifted the focus away from human numbers to human beings and our rights and choices.
Family planning is a means for individuals to voluntarily control their own bodies, their fertility and their futures.
Research and experience show that when given information and access to family planning, women and men choose to have the number of children they want. Most of the time, they choose smaller families. And this has benefits that extend beyond the family to the community and nation.
Family planning is one of the best investments a country can make. And taking a holistic and rights-based approach is essential to sustainable development.
We know that it is important to tackle harmful norms that discriminate against women and girls. This means, first of all, providing quality public education, and making sure that girls stay in school.
Second, we must empower women to participate in decisions of their families, communities and nations.
Third, we must reduce child mortality so parents have confidence their children will survive to adulthood.
And fourth, we must ensure every woman’s and man’s ability to plan their family and enjoy reproductive health and rights.
As we mourn the loss of the women who died in India, we must make sure that no more women suffer such a fate.
The organisation that I lead, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, supports a human rights-based approach to family planning, and efforts to ensure safe motherhood, promote gender equality and end violence against women and girls.
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In all of these areas, India has taken positive steps forward. One such step is the development of appropriate clinical standards for delivering family planning and sterilisation services.
When performed according to appropriate clinical standards with full, free and informed consent, amongst a full range of contraceptive options, sterilisation is safe, effective and ethical. It is an important option for women and couples.
Yet much work remains to be done in every country in the world to ensure universal sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.
The recent events in India highlight the need for improved monitoring and service provision, with the participation of community members and civil society, to ensure that policies are implemented, and to guarantee that services meet national and international standards.
Already the prime minister has quickly initiated investigations, a medical team was sent to the site, and a judicial commission was appointed by the state government to investigate the deaths of the women. I commend them for this immediate response.
Several people, including the doctor who conducted the surgeries and the owner of the firm that produced the suspected medicines, have been arrested. There is every hope that those responsible will be held accountable.
There is also hope that the government will take further measures to restore public confidence in its family planning programs as it upholds the human rights, choices and dignity of women and men.
Any laws, procedures or protocols that might have allowed or contributed to the deaths and other human rights violations should be reformed or changed to prevent recurrences.
As the world’s largest democracy, India is home to more than 1.2 billion people and recognised as a global leader in medicine, science and technology.
Given its leadership and expertise, India can ensure that family planning programmes meet, or exceed, clinical and human rights standards throughout the country.
UNFPA and many partners stand ready to support such an effort.
Edited by Kitty Stapp
