Making it clear: Catechism on family and life issues–

40 years of ‘Humanae Vitae’–II

Reproductive health, reproductive rights and sexual rights

The United Nations (UN) defines reproductive health as the state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. This implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so, provided that these are not against the law. This further implies that women and men are afforded equal status in matters related to sexual relations and reproduction.

Strictly speaking, reproductive health focuses on the biological dimension—when all the organic components of the reproductive apparatus are present and whole. It is, therefore, ridiculous to attribute “mental” and “social” dimensions to what is a purely biological reality. The surreptitious addition of these terms is connected with the stated aim of reproductive health — to have a satisfying and safe sex life. If having a satisfying sex life results in an unwanted pregnancy, the mental anguish this causes on the woman will negatively affect her mental and social well-being, unless one has access to contraception and abortion. This is the convoluted reasoning behind the UN’s insistence that reproductive health necessarily presupposes access to artificial contraception and abortion. Thus, in Church judgment, reproductive health is an ambiguous term. Despite all avowals that abortion is illicit, the inclusion of reproductive health in any law provides a backdoor for eventually legalizing abortion.

What is the meaning of reproductive rights?

The term reproductive rights goes very often with sexual rights, producing sexual reproductive rights. Defined in terms of power and resources, the latter refers to the power to have access to the necessary information and make sound decisions about fertility, procreation and child care, gynecological health and sexual activity, as well as the resources to proceed in a safe and efficient manner.

There are no international texts on human rights that mention reproductive rights. The most fundamental document on human rights is the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights. The Population Control Establishment claims that Article 2 of the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights introduces the generic “right to have rights.” It is further claimed that the content of these rights can be determined through democratic activity of nations. Subsequent UN conferences reinforced the idea that the right to make decisions about reproduction and the right of access to health services are fundamental human rights. Both men and women should have equal access to health services, including those related to family planning, the right to decide family size, as well as spacing of children.

The erroneous ideology that defines a lawmaking process based on the will of the majority can lead to unjust laws because the will of the majority can be manipulated by interest groups. Society runs the risk of enacting into law something that is against the natural law. Abortion legalized through a referendum does not cease to be wrong just because of a majority vote. This approach has permitted the UN to use its formidable financial resources in the advocacy process to provide access to contraception and legal abortion.

What are sexual rights?

“Sexual rights” is difficult to define but is best illustrated by the list of rights that tend to be included in this category. The 1996 International Planned Parenthood Declaration of Sexual and Reproductive Rights includes, among other things, the following:

§          The right to exercise and enjoy sexual independence according to one’s preferences, as well as the right to due legal protection;

§          Pleasant and recreational sex, independent of reproduction;

§          Appropriate knowledge and information on sex and reproduction; and

§          Freedom from fear, embarrassment, guilt and other imposed beliefs that inhibit the sexuality of a person or diminish his/her relationship.

Underlying this view is the radical separation of sexuality, procreation and the connection between men and women. Pleasure is identified as the ultimate goal of sexuality and procreation is reduced as a function of the health-care systems. Men and women relate in temporary and modifiable agreements.

Men and women are persons. For this reason, sexual behavior cannot be used only for pleasure for this would mean using a person as a source of pleasure. Moreover, since God specifically designed that the conjugal bond be profoundly linked with the gift of life, sexuality can be exercised only in the context of married life. The exercise of rights gives rise to the corresponding duty: Sexuality has to be curbed within the limits of marriage for the sake of wife and children.

(To be continued next issue. You can find the source of this article on www.rcam.org)

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Making it clear: Catechism on family and life issues–

40 years of ‘Humanae Vitae’–II

The United Nations (UN) defines reproductive health as the state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. This implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so, provided that these are not against the law. This further implies that women and men are afforded equal status in matters related to sexual relations and reproduction.