Where money and culture integrate, politics will substantiate. In the great debates done between pro-choice and pro-life movements, a lot of stakeholders bringing their own vested interests join the struggle and advocate their own ideas. There are more historical debates that relate to reproductive rights. There is the political debate on population explosion measures between the church and the state. For example, religious beliefs will readily fight for their own stands.
Lobbying will materialize and it will sometimes go to the extent of branding politicians with reproductive rights issues that will ensure votes or assure loses. In the realm of population assistance, the international community continuously spends large amounts of money to support campaigns to rally population policies. “In principle, these population policies are people-centered but, in reality, policies have been twisted to the point of control over people and have become the foundation of all development and ‘population activities’ — terms more and more being reduced to population control.
Increasing amounts of money are not only spent to provide access to contraception and reproductive health services, but also in an attempt to change cultures to prefer small families. ” (Aguirre, 2002) Feminists supporting reproductive rights have been branded as clear supporters of the small family population campaigns. In Ireland, women’s issues take on political stance in the issue of abortion. “The complexity of political events surrounding abortion and contraception in Ireland has pushed the women’s movement into an activist and confrontational role.
Feminists in Ireland have hitherto seen this as a localised problem, a ferocious denial of rights and freedom in comparison with countries elsewhere in Europe. ” (Murphy, 1993) Unfortunately while the war on reproductive rights and the need to control and manipulate population increase, no one social study have founded insightful findings of the correlation of population growth, economic development and environment. The funding of millions of dollars to population manipulation has neglected more than the real meaning of economic growth and social development.
Millions of money has been budgeted to lobby issues than be used to help develop good reproductive health laws truly beneficial to the woman in particular and the community in general. Gender is a concern that affects all aspects of a person’s life. While sex relates more to biologically determined differences between the human species, gender is determined by culture. Gender issues are basically culturally specific. Gender issues affect reproductive rights. Among the many concerns that reproductive health workers face, gender discrimination is most pervasive.
Women all over the world are still struggling for gender equality with men. Gender gaps are wide and widespread. Gender gaps remain prevalent in access to resource, control of economic opportunities, and power in political voice and reproductive rights issues. “Because it is women who gets pregnant and gives birth, the risk factors and exposures for women and men are fundamentally different from the outset, with the burden of ill-health being much greater for women.
In addition many of the health issues related to sex and sexuality depend on the nature of men’s and women’s relationships to each other. ” (……,2006. ) The gender differences are glaring and these differentiations is supported by economic, political and social reasons. Women have less bargaining power in relationships. Given this, they categorically have less power to protect themselves from reproductive issues such as unwanted sex, transmissions of infections or from violence. Addressing problems in reproductive health therefore must as well address the issues that affect gender discrimination.
“Reproductive health services include much more than contraception and safe motherhood–they should include topics like child survival, adolescent services, and HIV/STI treatment, diagnosis, and education. ” (AVSC, 2002) Men also have appreciated their role in reproductive health of women. Women and men have equal rights to information regarding the many concerns of reproductive health. The access to information is a powerful first step towards awareness not only of the reproductive rights but more importantly of reproductive health of women. Class Women over the years have still been rated as second class citizens.
The belief bordering on myth that God created Eve out of Adam’s rib has been embedded in many cultures. Class affects reproductive rights. Even before issues of reproductive rights, a lot of feminist movements had to fight for suffrage as a means to fight against the myth of the second class citizen who was not allowed to vote at one point in time. This situation is unfortunately still prevalent. “Surveys reveal that about 80 percent of girls in north and central Sudan are circumcised and its practice contributes significantly to a high maternal mortality rate.
Sudanese custom follows an extreme form of FGC, and the girls who undergo this procedure can experience lifelong reproductive health problems including cysts, scarring, painful sexual intercourse, and difficulties with childbirth. Practitioners believe circumcision ensures propriety, virginity, and honor by reducing sexual urges in unmarried women, preventing pre-marital sex and maintaining the family honor. Although this ritual originated in pre-Islamic times, many mistakenly believe the Koran stipulates this practice. ” (Gruenbaum, 2006).