Being educated
in the area of basic sexual and reproduction health is a privilege for many,
while out of reach for others. In Indonesia, as well as other less developed
countries, this can be because the government does not make it a priority or it
can be because accesses to these health centers are too far away and/or they
cannot afford it. According to the UN, approximately 800 women die with relations
to pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, for each of these deaths, “another 20
women endure lifelong suffering because of injury, infection, disease or
disabilities stemming from pregnancy, childbirth, or an unsafe abortion.” Many
women, including migrant women in the United States, are turned away from
health centers even right before giving birth since they do not have the money
for the treatment or procedure. Marianne
Mollmann, senior policy advisor at Amnesty International stated, “The tragic
reality is that many deaths and injuries connected with pregnancy and
childbirth can be prevented.”
Lack of information plays a huge role in this issue. In
Indonesia, women were interviewed and it was found that the women were not
given adequate information on their right to access contraceptives. This lack
of information combined with their limited access to abortion meant that many young
women were left with only the choice to carry on with an unwanted pregnancy or
seek an abortion with very unsafe conditions. The UN estimates that adolescents
account for 2.5 million of the 19 million unsafe abortions performed in the
developing world. With that said, girls between the ages of 10 and 19 make up
70% of hospitalizations due to unsafe abortions. Something interesting that
shows the effects of this lack of knowledge; “In 2011, UNAIDS reported that
only 34 per cent of young people in
developing countries were able to answer correctly five basic questions about
HIV and how to prevent it. The same demographic currently accounts for 41 per
cent of all new HIV cases.”
A plan was set back in 1994, the Programme of Action, which
was aimed to transform how population policies and programmes were formulated
and implemented. This was to ensure women of their sexual health and reproductive
rights. The representatives are set to meet up again in 2014 to review the
progress on the Programme of Action.
Page Odom
2/14/13
12:51 PM
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