It is not coercive to argue for better family planning worldwide

In this article, we are exposed to the debate between population growth in the world. On one side people believe our earth has enough room, on the other side, there are many negative consequences to this ideal. Jenny Tonge, author of the article, explains that more than 200 million women in the world have sex without protection and do not want to get pregnant. She goes on to say that one in four births worldwide are unplanned. A total of 42 million abortions are performed each year, also 68,000 die during this procedure. Many women do not have the quality care, education or benefits in preventing pregnancy. Tonge says that if all women were exposed to family planning practices, the rate of the population would slow dramatically. Many women who have children realize they are not providing adequate care. Tonge says, “women are crying out for family planning in many parts of the world as they realize that with fewer, healthier children to provide for, they are less likely to become poor. They are also better able to feed and provide healthcare and education for their children.” She also goes on to say that women have opportunities for education. If women and men make a collective effort to use the resources available, the population will be a healthier place.

I agree with Tonge when she explains how women need to be properly educated when it comes to family planning. However, education is not available in all places. There are so many women in the world that do not receive medical care before or during their pregnancies. Maternal and child mortality rates are on the uprise yearly. However, there are many cultural ties to this as well. For instance, in China, women desperately want to have a child to keep lineage continuity, to have their children provide them care in old age, to relieve loneliness and add interest to life and due to societal pressure. This is deeply colored by familial history and the importance of kinship. In China, the one-child only policy increases the desire for a male child. Typically male children will make more money and stay close to the family, whereas females will marry and become part of their husband’s family. In many parts of the world people feel it is their job to product the “nuclear family” or their is no purpose in life. On the other hand, many women in the western side of the world feel that waiting to have children is just fine. It is socially acceptable here to have no children and focus on a career. There may be many women who feel this way, however, accidentally get pregnant due to lack of education. They are not educated on the right ways to avoid pregnancy. In class last week, Dr. Sill explained that the higher education someone gets the longer they try to abstain from a family. I believe this is true, therefore education needs to be top priority. Right now, school-aged children in America are being taught abstinence. I do not believe this is an effective method to control the population. Affordable family planning should be taught at a young age. For instance, free birth control should be given out to young girls who are already sexually active and free counseling along with it. Young girls are having their periods earlier now, mainly do to a combination of genetics and environment. Along with Tonge’s argument, I feel that delaying pregnancies will only be solved through quality education at a young age. Also, this education needs to be given throughout a woman's life.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/10/family-planning-population-growth