Incentivised sterilisation: lessons from India and for the future

Wale, Jeffrey; Rowlands, Sam

doi:10.1080/13625187.2020.1766015

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Further, the boundaries between coercive and passive action may not be easily drawn both placing practical limitations on individual liberty and autonomy. For example, offering financial incentives to users and motivators to increase the take up of specific contraceptives might well interfere with the voluntariness of individual decision‐making in low‐income populations (Wale & Rowlands, 2020; Warwick, 1974). It may also be ethically problematic for the rich to decide and prioritise how resources are reallocated to the less well off.…”

Section: Foreign Intervention: the Ethical Argumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

When worlds collide: Non‐state actors, philanthropy and the commercial promotion of fertility control options in developing countries

Wale

Rowlands

2022

Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing

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The purpose of this study is an ethical evaluation of the role of transnational philanthropic and commercial actors in the promotion and implementation of fertility control and family planning programmes in developing countries around the world. In particular, we consider the application, extension and association of collective and individualist ethical justifications to these actors. Our aim is to achieve a better understanding of the rights and obligations that different stakeholders might hold in this arena. We use a critical theoretical lens to examine conventional ethical discourse and literature to develop a fresh conceptual understanding of the arguments applicable to philanthropic and commercial actors in the context of fertility control and family planning. Whilst complex multi-stakeholder arrangements make ethical assessment challenging, caution ought to be exercised in the application and extension of conventional state-based justifications for fertility control or family planning to these transnational non-state actors. Collective justifications or interests cannot be automatically extended to cover the activities of these organisations and actors in this context. Potential conflicts of interest and inequalities in the power dynamics between stakeholders are all too apparent. The lack of direct accountability and transparency of action also raises questions about the building of philanthropic partnerships and the appropriate degree of state and international oversight. State and philanthropic/commercial interests are unlikely to be aligned when the transformative goals of the latter promote self-sufficiency and individualist agendas. This paper contributes to ethical knowledge of and literacy in philanthropic activities in the arena of family planning, sexual and reproductive health and fertility control. It offers guidance for the evaluation of these contributions and the development of global philanthropic partnerships.

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Section: Foreign Intervention: the Ethical Argumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

When worlds collide: Non‐state actors, philanthropy and the commercial promotion of fertility control options in developing countries

Wale

Rowlands

2022

Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing

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“…States can employ various policy instruments which will influence reproductive decision-making and outcomes; these are either negative or positive. Positive policy instruments include nudges, boosts and other incentivisation (Wale & Rowlands, 2020). Incentives consist of benefits, rewards or compensation for agreeing to undergo sterilisation.…”

Section: Ethical Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rewards directed at those with limited economic means may be more 'persuasive'. Where a 'motivator' is incentivised too, the amount of pressure to be sterilised can amount to coercion (Wale & Rowlands, 2020).…”

Section: Ethical Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The doctors performing the sterilisations were complicit in the coercion; consent was largely invalid (Vicziany, 1982b). The doctors were incentivised with a fee (Wale & Rowlands, 2020).…”

Section: The Case Study Countriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As well as incentives, negative policy instruments have been used in India, these have included state-level punishments, penalties and other sanctions for families with more than two children, for example, denial of healthcare for mothers/children and fines and restrictions on government employment/promotion for fathers (Wale & Rowlands, 2020). In China, disincentives predominated over incentives (Short & Fengying, 1998).…”

Section: Comparisons Between the Four Countriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Use of Forced Sterilisation as a Key Component of Population Policy: Comparative Case Studies of China, India, Puerto Rico and Singapore

Rowlands

Regmi

2022

Indian Journal of Public Administration

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In the years before the UN international human rights became fundamental values of law and ethics, family planning programmes designed to control population growth were adopted by many countries. This article compares the implementation of sterilisation campaigns in four countries that have used a degree of incentivisation or coercion. For each selected country, we aimed to explore two questions: How was mass sterilisation implemented, and were human rights protected? The countries are China, India, Puerto Rico and Singapore. We suggest that sterilisation should be readily available as part of an overall sexual and reproductive health service, but people’s sexual and reproductive rights must take priority.

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Female sterilisation in India: Examining the role of women’s own decision making and information given to client

Jana

Shekhar

2022

J. Biosoc. Sci.

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India has a very high prevalence of female sterilisation compared to other countries in the world, with a prevailing situation of very low level of information about contraceptive options given to women. It is well established in demographic research that, there exists a strong association between knowledge of contraceptive methods and type of contraception chosen. Present study uses data from 3 consecutive rounds of National Family Health Survey (3, 4 & 5). The sample contains currently married women who started using the current method 5 years prior to each round of survey. Multilevel Logistic Regression and Fairlie Decomposition Model are used to analyse the effect of information given to respondents and decision-making power regarding contraceptive methods on choice of female sterilisation. Women, who are informed about available methods, have lower chance (45.8%, 37.5% & 40% for NFHS 3, 4 & 5 respectively) to opt for sterilisation after controlling all other factors. If woman is the sole decision maker for contraceptive choice, the chance of sterilisation reduces than cases where decision is taken only by husband or jointly. Information about other methods also contributes towards reducing the chance of female sterilisation over the time. Information about contraceptive methods is found to be a major factor in controlling choice of temporary or permanent method. Thus, major focus for the policy makers should be to make information regarding contraceptives more accessible for women.

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Incentivised sterilisation: lessons from India and for the future

Cited by 5 publications

References 17 publications

When worlds collide: Non‐state actors, philanthropy and the commercial promotion of fertility control options in developing countries

When worlds collide: Non‐state actors, philanthropy and the commercial promotion of fertility control options in developing countries

The Use of Forced Sterilisation as a Key Component of Population Policy: Comparative Case Studies of China, India, Puerto Rico and Singapore

Female sterilisation in India: Examining the role of women’s own decision making and information given to client

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