The Role of Contraception in the Developing Catholic World

I consider myself a Catholic first, then a woman second. 

However, I am aware that many do not share such a view, or could not; especially if one is mired in poverty, and trapped in a hand to mouth existence. Certainly, options to keep one's body healthy, and to have a semblance of control over one's reproductive health, should be available.

I can only surmise what it is to not have the luxury of being able to support as many children as one wants to have in comfort, for admittedly, I have been born into a family that enjoys material comfort.

However, as I posited, many women in the post modern world continue to be considered second class citizens, chattel and property, without inalienable human rights, specifically with respect to their bodies. I have seen this scenario played out several times over, in different places of the world, in different societies, under different religions, and political regimes. Women who live in servility to their men, used as sex objects, bearing so many children, taking care of them, and still being expected to contribute to the family livelihood. 

And I thought, certainly, there is something wrong with this equation.

While I would not personally espouse the use of contraception, and would attack this situation from a different angle, I have nothing against the Gates couple's, particularly Melinda's, efforts to make it a ubiquitous option for women living in poverty across the world. I think it would be a great complement, actually, to our efforts to eradicate poverty through debt relief, micro-financing and livelihood assistance, as well as decent housing projects for the marginalised. I admire Melinda for her courage to take on the role of champion of such a touchy subject with Church authorities.

I see a number of benefits stemming from the availability of reproductive health options to women across the world. I deliberately call it "reproductive health" instead of "contraception" because it is my dear hope that as we make such options available to women, we take into account the fact that these options, as with other medical interventions, have the potential to cause harmful side effects on those who take them as well. Thus, I recommend a holistic approach to the dispensation of such options to these women, always taking into account their current state of health, their reaction to the medication or contraception, their financial capability (we do not want to engender a culture of skivvies among these women: they should learn that "aid" is not equivalent to "freebies" and that availing of such would entail a certain commitment on their part as well), and their partner's views on the matter.

Social change management should come into play as well, for introducing reproductive health concepts to a certain society changes its dynamic as pertains to the family, to husband and wife relationships, and views on child bearing and child rearing. We should be careful about the messages we send in educating women about reproductive health and their rights with their respect to their bodies, always emphasising that contraceptive use does not give them an excuse to engage in promiscuous and bigamous behaviour. We should be careful to preserve the moral structure and strictures of the communities in which we will introduce contraception, always emphasising its use in the moral context, which is primarily to limit procreation to ensure that all the children in the family will not be neglected, and thus assured of a secure future, and that the mother will remain healthy and live to an old age to be present in her children's lives, around long enough to nurture them and give them guidance.

If in case society looks upon woman as a second class citizen, then the male perspective should be recalibrated, but not through hostile and abrasive measures. The value of women in society should be pointed out, without being jingoistic or sexist about it. Among others, they ensure the continuity of society by their biological ability to procreate. They are the children's first teachers and role models, and thus they should be taught self-respect, moral values, and provided with adequate, if not exceptional education, to equip them fully for this role.

I am, however, of the view that contraceptives, as a component of reproductive health awareness and education, should be a mere stopgap measure, so that when society rights itself, it should not be considered as a top option for family planning. I am a firm believer in submitting oneself to God's plan. I speak from experience. My mother had me quite early in life, when she was 18, and there are only three of us siblings. She has never used contraceptives in her life. But her body's rhythm adjusted to her lifestyle after she had my youngest brother Henry, and thus, she no longer bore children after his birth. She did not undergo artificial measures to achieve such, it just happened.  My Dad wanted a large family, five children at the very least, but they accepted this situation with grace and gratitude.

Each child that comes into the family should be considered a Blessing from Heaven, and thus it should be the parents that prepares themselves for their birth. If they are unexpected or unplanned, it is my dearest prayer that we do not espouse termination. It was not the child's choice to be conceived in the first place, whether he or she be the product of rape or incest or some other such unfortunate occurrence. One can always carry the child to full term and have them adopted. The world is rife with childless couples, who I am sure would welcome such a gift. Remember, that child in the womb is helpless and still dependent on adults for mere survival. If you want to terminate them, then at least give them a fighting chance and wait until they are old and strong enough to defend themselves.