One local non-governmental organisation (NGO) has pledged continued support for the sexual and reproductive rights of women in the face of a raging debate in the United States about abortion laws.
Executive Director of the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) Anderson Langdon declared that efforts to reduce unplanned pregnancy ought to focus on increased education about practising safe sex, as he also called for reform of the secondary school curriculum in subjects like health and family life education.
Over the last two weeks, the BFPA has shared numerous messages on social media supporting and explaining women’s “right to choose”.
“Being pro-choice shows a respect and understanding for others’ bodily autonomy — a vital human right,” stated one BFPA message on Instagram.
“We stand for women’s right to choose. We are pro-reproductive rights.”
The messages followed a US Supreme Court decision in late June that removed a constitutional right to abortion that had been upheld for nearly 50 years.
In Barbados, such rights have been protected since the 1980s, and according to the BFPA executive, they are directly linked to the country’s social and economic progress.
While predicting “significant fallout” in the US from the court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Langdon noted that abortion laws in Barbados are progressive in that they require extensive medical consultation for persons seeking abortions.
“We are seeking what is in the best interest of the woman and we can’t hide from the fact that in countries and states where there is restriction of access to choice and contraception, the outcomes have been negative,” Langdon told Barbados TODAY.
“In addition, the perception that people have abortions willy-nilly is incorrect. I can tell you for a fact that many women are pushed to this choice because of their social, economic, or religious circumstances. Many women take this decision very seriously. They evaluate, as women usually do, and come to a decision that is in the best interest of all,” he added.
Langdon believes that the resources used to oppose abortion rights would be better used educating people on the dangers of poor sexual choices.
Recalling recent revelations that one in five people were testing positive for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the BFPA executive identified a correlation between risky sexual behaviours and unplanned pregnancies.
“I am seeing increasing STIs that are very concerning to me, which means that people are engaging in unprotected sex and risky sexual activities where the outcomes can be unwanted pregnancies. I think that that is what we need to address,” he said.
“How do we make every pregnancy wanted and how do we avoid unwanted pregnancies? That is really the crux of the matter and that is where good family planning education, good access to comprehensive sexuality education, access to contraception and, most importantly, creating an environment where every young woman no matter what age feels loved, comes in.”
He reiterated that if people with unplanned pregnancies were receiving support from their loved ones, their religious organisations, and partners, abortions would likely be less prevalent.
“My concern is that our young people are asking questions and we are not giving them answers and they are going to the wrong people to get the answers,” said Langdon.
“When the right people are available and the right strategies are available, people who are exposed to good sexual education do not engage in as much risky sexual behaviour and they delay the age of sexual initiation; they are more responsible in their sexual activity.”
The BPFA official underscored the importance of all citizens being able to enjoy their sexual and reproductive rights.
“We know that there are members in our community who are not getting the access that they need, but we must make sure that everyone is looked after, we must make sure that all of their individual and inalienable rights are respected, and the legislation must reflect that in its outcomes, intent, and structures,” said Langdon. (TD)
