China: One in every four women have abortions

The Shanghai Daily has reported findings from an unnamed women’s health conference that took place this week. According to conference findings, 27.3 percent of women in their 20s have abortions in mainland China, and just 2.6 percent of Chinese women use oral contraceptives, indicating a serious gap in education about contraceptives.

The result of China’s one-child policy, abortions and sterilization are common practice in China, raising concerns abroad about the practice, which is often forced. Now may be the right time to consider new education program initiatives; Obama recently agreed to give U.S. funding to the UN Population Fund, which helps countries in Africa, Asia and South America to create family planning programs. Proceeding with this will prove to be tricky, as pro-life advocates in the U.S. criticizes the Chinese method of population control and see UNPFA as forgiving to policies that ignore women’s rights.

Links and sources:

Flap over China’s 1-child policy stirs Washington Times

One in four women in their 20s have abortions, Shanghai Daily