Increased Access To Contraception Can Reduce Poverty, Advocacy Group Says

[MineralMan]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/02/family-planning-poverty_n_4372575.html

By Darina Naidu, Women's eNews

(WOMENSENEWS)--Some family planning proponents emphasize health and longevity benefits; others talk of human rights.

In the mix of available arguments, Population Action International has been focusing on the promise of economic prosperity. The organization advocates for women and families to have access to contraception in order to improve their health, reduce poverty and protect their environment.

For every $1 the organization invests in family planning, $4 is saved in other areas like education, public health, water and sanitation, the Washington-based group says on its website. "Birth control isn't just good for women; it's good for the economy."

"Right now, 222 million women, or 1-in-4 women of reproductive age, in the developing world do not want to become pregnant but need modern contraception," said Dilly Severin, director of communications at the group, known as PAI. The organization "has a history of highlighting the common sense connections between fulfilling a woman's right to contraception and the health, economic and other benefits that flow from it."

More at link...

My Comment: This seems like a no-brainer, and it really is. A Google Search for "contraception and poverty" {without quotes} brings up a long list of articles about the connection between availability of effective contraception and economic betterment for women. Logically, that makes enormous sense, and statistical evidence apparently confirms it.

Much is being made of the new Pope's interest in economic justice and poverty. I have to wonder why this is not part of the solution in his mind. Both in the first world and in the third world, economic well-being for women seems inextricably linked to childbearing. Where effective, available contraception is readily available, women can make their own reproductive decisions. Where it is not, they cannot, and are subject to the whims of the men in their lives when it comes to reproduction.

Of all of the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, the doctrine against the use of contraception has a huge impact on the women of the world and their economic situation. So, I call on Pope Francis, if he is truly interested in bettering the economic conditions of the world's poor, to change that doctrine. It is within his power to do so. Let him understand the problem and provide guidance to a solution by ending the RCC's insistence that women bear children continuously and at the whim of men.

[MineralMan]

1. In The World’s Poorest Countries, Demand For Birth Control Is Increasing But Access To It Isn’t

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/17/2027231/unmet-demand-birth-control-poor-countries/

BY TARA CULP-RESSLER ON MAY 17, 2013 AT 10:45 AM

Developing nations around the world aren’t doing enough to ensure that women have access to the family planning services they need, a new report from the Guttmacher Institute finds. The women who want to prevent pregnancy but don’t have access to modern forms of birth control are concentrated mostly in poorer countries, and those countries are lagging far behind wealthier nations when it comes to ensuring women’s ability to use the contraceptive services of their choice.
-snip-
Last year, the United Nations declared access to contraception to be a “universal human right.” But that right isn’t being realized for millions of women around the world — and the continued failure to ensure better access to modern birth control results in serious consequences for women in developing nations. Higher rates of unintended pregnancies lead to higher rates of preventable deaths from unsafe abortions, as well as higher rates of infant deaths around the world. Furthermore, giving women the family planning resources they need is an important step toward helping those women achieve economic success and independence.

more at link...

[MineralMan]

2. Unintended Pregnancies Are Increasingly Concentrated Among Poor Women

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/09/09/2593011/unintended-pregnancies-poor-women/

BY TARA CULP-RESSLER ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 AT 4:08 PM

Unintended Pregnancies Are Increasingly Concentrated Among Poor Women Who Lack Birth Control Access

Even though the number of unintended pregnancies in the United States has remained relatively constant, they are becoming increasingly concentrated among low-income women, according to a new report from the Guttmacher Institute.
Between 1994 and 2006, the number of unintended pregnancies among women whose incomes fall below the national poverty line rose by 50 percent. At the same time, however, unintended pregnancies dropped among more economically privileged women:

More at link...

[think]

3. Would be a good thing if the Pope would address contraception

as a logical tool in alleviating poverty....

[MineralMan]

4. You'd think so, wouldn't you?

The link is clear, but doctrine demands that women not use contraception. The RCC actively fights against contraception, worldwide. Here in the U.S., that fight was largely lost in the 1960s, when rules banning contraceptive devices and medications were overturned in most jurisdictions.

In California, for example, when I was a high school student in the early 1960s, condoms could only be sold by pharmacists and only to people over 21. Each package was marked, "For Prevention of Disease Only." Doctors were prohibited from prescribing contraceptive devices, except to married women. Those laws were in place due to lobbying by the Catholic Church in earlier years. California ended those laws, finally, in the mid 1960s, but under heavy protest from the RCC.

In some countries, where the Roman Catholic Church has great influence, such laws still exist. It is time for such nonsense to end, and if this Pope truly cares about poverty in the world, changing RCC doctrine regarding contraception would be an excellent step in the quest to relieve poverty for women throughout the world.

I do not believe that will happen, though.

[HockeyMom]

8. I am constantly amazed at the anti-contraception laws back then

I am no young chick either. I was born in 1948 and am an Only Child, BY CHOICE. My parents told me that. How did that happen? Infertile parents? Rhythm works? lol At the NYC Catholic School I went to in the 1950s, I certainly was not the Only Child student in the school. In fact, two kids was the norm. Clearly, these Catholic parents were doing something to limit their family size.

My Dad said every GI in WW2 was issued a pack of cigarettes, and a pack of CONDOMS. My Mom told me that she used a diaphragm. How did she get that if BC was illegal? You could not buy them in a drug store. They had to fitted by a doctor. Ok, this was in NYC, so maybe the City, and their doctors, just ignored laws on this? Think Margaret Sanger opening her clinic in Brooklyn.

Anywaye, it is very interesting to know. The word does need to get out to young women, and MEN, what life used to be like, and what certain elements of society, and religions, want us to go back to.

[Freddie]

11. Indeed, young people take so much for granted

My best friend's mom was telling me the unbelievable hoops she had to go through to get her tubes tied in the late 60's after the birth of her third child. Married woman, late 30's. Had to get her husband's permission of course.
I read some very interesting history about the long fight to legalize contraception 100 or so years ago. One compelling argument in a lawsuit was the fact that birth control could greatly reduce the number of women who died in childbirth, all too common back then. One judge rejected that argument, stating "that's the chance a woman takes when she has sex (with her husband!)". Sadly that attitude is still seen today.

[HockeyMom]

17. Oh, not just women but men too

After our second child was born in 1984, my husband wanted a vasectomy. We had to listen to a LECTURE, wait 24 hours, and I as his wife had to sign a PERMISSION form. I was furious over this and told this doctor so. l If MEN cannot control their own bodies, how will WOMEN? I even told this doctor my feelings on this. We were married 10 years, 35 years old, with 2 children. The questions he asked us were INSULTING to any ADULTS.

It pissed me off what they want to do to us females, but dear MEN, you won't be exempt to it either. It does take TWO to make babies.

[Freddie]

19. I think the attitude towards at least some things has changed

In 1990 I had my tubes tied after Baby #2. I was 33. No lecture, no problem at all and my husband was not consulted.

[HockeyMom]

20. "You only have DAUGHTERS"

"Suppose you want to try for a SON"? Yes, that was an actual question this doctor asked us. I almost hit him with that. Fortunately, my husband answered, as the LAST MALE of his line. "What is wrong with only DAUGHTERS?". "I LIKE Females." lol "I don't want any more CHILDREN, male or female". I started laughing at that. Kuddos, to a non-sexist REPUBLICAN man. lol That doctor didn't know how to react to this.

Yeah, men, they WILL take it to you too.

[bettyellen]

25. oh yes, I wanted to get my tubes tied long ago. they wouldn't! an IUD? denied….

because it could potentially cause problems with pregnancy later. Even though I was emphatic I didn't want kids and was offering to sign a waiver. So, I was basically forced to take hormones for many years when they cause a very increased risk of stroke and clotting- both of which my Mom had serious problems with. The baby I didn't want's potential life was valued before my own health.

And yet too many men at DU get mad we have "more health care" and most assume BC is risk free. It ain't, the last BC I used cause such a mad surge of hormones I went nuts with super intense PMS like I had never ever experienced. Doctors assumed it was something else- eight years later we find out it is implicated in causing embolisms because it can release heavy bursts if hormones if it gets too warm. It's killed a few women much younger than me, and is still on the market- with added warnings.

[MineralMan]

14. I agree 100%.

My mother also used a diaphragm to limit the number of children she bore. Doctors could prescribe them, but at that time only to married women. Single women could not legally be fitted with a diaphragm.

As a sexually active high school kid, it impacted me personally. I managed to obtain condoms through an older friend, who was over 21, and could legally purchase them. No pregnancy ensued, fortunately.

Later, when I determined for myself that I did not want to reproduce, due to overpopulation concerns, access to contraception remained important to me. Fortunately, laws changed with the introduction of effective contraception in pill form, and that was a good thing. Still, many doctors refused to prescribe birth control to people under 21 and unmarried. Not all, but many.

That era has passed in the United States, although some right-wingers still want to prohibit contraception, and abortion is still a major issue, after all those years since Roe v. Wade. The fight goes on to enable women to control their own reproduction, and in other parts of the world, contraception can be impossible or costly to obtain. That needs to end, worldwide.

[MineralMan]

5. Philippines birth control: Filipinos want it, priests don't

By Kenneth R. Weiss, Los Angeles Times
July 22, 2012
Last of five parts

In the Philippines, access to contraceptives is limited for the most part to those with the means to pay. The Catholic Church has fought a "reproductive health bill" in the legislature that would change that.

MANILA — Shortly after sunrise, a woman with soulful eyes and short-cropped black hair hurried down a narrow alley in flip-flops, picking her way around clusters of squatting children, piles of trash and chunks of concrete.

Yolanda Naz's daily scramble had begun. Peddling small shampoo packets in the shantytown of San Andres, she raced to earn enough money to feed her eight children.

-snip-

The church and like-minded opponents have stalled the legislation for 14 years. Following Vatican dictates, Philippine bishops oppose any "artificial" measures to prevent pregnancy, sanctioning only natural means such as periodic abstention from sex.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/population/la-fg-population-matters5-20120729-html,0,5897961.htmlstory#ixzz2qg618spl

Dear Pope Francis: Stop doing this, please. You can change the doctrine and help end poverty for women.

[bettyellen]

6. those who say feminists should instead focus on poverty, i know they haven't seen stats on poverty

or given it much thought themselves. Because women and babies have the biggest rates.
But, you know, they are happy to tell us to direct our energies there, even though they themselves obviously haven't. Same with "abortion is settled", yikes. I am sick of hearing that here. The ignorance is embarrassing.

[MineralMan]

15. Reproductive choice directly affects economic results.

Why the link between a lack of access to reproductive choice and poverty isn't obvious to many people escapes me completely. It's so obvious that a woman who involuntarily bears child after child, even despite her wishes, is going to have economic struggles in any society. The Patriarchy continues to impact women in a negative way, and there is no system more patriarchal than the Roman Catholic Church. As a man, I find that offensive.

[bettyellen]

16. yep, it is a harsh reality a lot of people would like to ignore- and leave others to live with

and it must be very hard for any mom to admit she would not have had those kids. it's not acceptable for anyone to freely admit that, hence the great need to advocate for choice.

[MineralMan]

18. The wealthy have long had access to contraception, and

don't really care if others do not. In the Roman Catholic Church's case, the hierarchy of that church has had no need for contraception, officially, since members of the hierarchy are celibate. They have nothing to lose from women having as many children as possible, and it makes more followers of the church, who can contribute something, even if pennies, to the coffers.

The scriptural support for the ban on contraception is very, very slim, but any Catholic priest can quote it if you ask. It comes down to "Be fruitful, and multiply," and God's anger at Onan, who engaged in coitus interruptus to avoid impregnating his late brother's wife. Those are the two scriptural justification for the entire doctrine, essentially.

But, it is the celibate patriarchy that is the real source of this doctrine. They invest nothing in reproduction, but believe they can control it. Very awkward.

[MineralMan]

7. Kick

[Vashta Nerada]

9. Isn't the Pope about reducing poverty?

Isn't that why so many here love him so much?

What you posted is a no-brainer. Seems like something the Pope should endorse.

[MineralMan]

10. Well, that's what he says.

However, the history of the church he leads says something else when it comes to poverty for women, apparently. Pope Francis has the weight of centuries of doctrine on his mind, I'm sure, and I don't know how he'd answer your question, or mine.

The connection between prohibiting contraception and increased poverty for women is crystal clear, so the Pope seems to be facing a real dilemma with that old doctrine.

Frankly, based on his statements, it appears that he wants to minimize the conversation about reproductive choice and GLBT rights. He wants less conversation regarding those issues from the Church and, I assume, fewer questions about it from others.

I'm unwilling to accept that, however, and will continue to ask such questions. Eventually, they will be answered by action or inaction.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. Those who want to lift families out of cyclical poverty support access to contraception

Those who don't oppose contraception. It is very simple.

[MineralMan]

13. I believe the same.

Opposition to reproductive choice is not compatible with a progressive philosophy, in my opinion. There are other human rights positions, too, where opposition is tantamount to being regressive. Such rights are too essential to progress for anyone who opposes them to be thought of as a progressive.

[SoCalDem]

21. Very true

and the most important group of girls/women who desperately need it are the young teens who "experiment", and end up a Mom way before they should. It cuts their future off at the knees for way too many of them.

I know that many Moms use the "MY daughter would NEVER have sex before she's a grown up", but we ALL know that's not the case, and their reluctance to protect their daughters ends badly for far too many.

If you are a teen-Mom (and your family is poor), in most cases it's practically impossible to finish school and have anything that resembles a "normal"
life...I KNOW there are many exceptions to this , BUT in MOST cases, these are the women who end up with 3 or 4 kids before they are 30, and who end up working shitty jobs and going in and out of dangerous relationships.

Preventing pregnancy until you WANT and can afford a baby is crucial.

[Demo_Chris]

22. Granting women reproductive rights and contraception is the SOLUTION to poverty....

Or a major component at any rate.

[MineralMan]

23. Exactly!

[Demo_Chris]

24. Further, this is the reason the Roman Catholic Church continue to oppose it...

They feed on poverty and desperation. Note that everything else in the Bible, including the origin of the universe and the evolution of species, is open to interpretation or even reversal. Yet this, which isn't even mentioned, receives a blanket condemnation. They want the poor to remain poor, the sick to remain sick. As a previous Pope essentially said, Aids may be bad but condoms are worse.