Bring abortion out of the dark ages in Africa and save women's lives
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Of course there is, and always will be, an ethical dilemma about ending a perfectly healthy pregnancy. So what is the alternative to deter women from undergoing pregnancies, particularly in nations so incessantly anti-abortionist?
In any ethical debate, education is usually the answer. In China, where abortion rates have surged in recent years, with 24 abortions being performed on every 1,000 women aged between 15 and 44, officials have blamed a low level of sex education for the widespread use of abortions. Greater education about contraception and safer sex in all countries, including China and African nations, would inevitably reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.
32-year-old Stephanie Hughes from the UK specifically remembers some vivid and scaremongering sex education lessons at school and believes it resulted in her using contraception.
"I remember like it was yesterday our biology teacher brashly placing a condom on a phallic item, whilst repeating 'this is all it takes to prevent a pregnancy, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.' These words were etched onto my conscience well into my adult life. If African nations practised similar educational techniques rather than simply prohibiting terminations entirely, I am sure the picture regarding abortions and maternal health in Africa would be rosier," commented Ms Hughes.
In 2007 political leaders from ten African nations jointly called to make abortions legal in their regions, to reduce maternal mortality amongst African women. Three years later very little has been achieved in answering the pleads by leaders from states including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Malawi, for there to be a 'political commitment' to legalize abortions. Proof of how little has actually been achieved within these realms, was seen at the recent meeting in Accra, to share, discuss and 'initiate action' in the arena of unsafe abortion in Africa. The four-day conference saw more than 250 health care providers, women's groups, parliamentarians, advocates, community members and allied agencies from throughout Africa, focus on unsafe abortions as being one of the main issues in improving reproductive health and women's rights in Africa and to help achieve the Millennium Development Goal 5, to reduce maternal mortality.
I emphasis the words 'initiate action' because, as we have seen since 2007, despite a call from influential political leaders in Africa to instigate action towards 'lifting the abortion ban', three years later another almost identical meeting has taken place. The MDG's have come under frequent criticism that they will not achieve their goals by 2015, and unless we are to be in the same position in another three years time regarding unsafe abortions in Africa, words really do need to be turned into action.
The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/node_7077604.htm
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