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Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights consultant Dr. Maryke Alblas said the world is moving towards accepting the legalization of abortion |
Basseterre, St. Kitts (May 18, 2005): Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights consultant Dr. Maryke Alblas said the world is moving towards accepting the legalization of abortion as a better method to the alternative.
According to Dr. Alblas pregnancies and illegal abortions are happening frequently and it therefore makes more sense to legalize abortion which has been proven to save the lives of a significant number of females and especially young ladies around the world.
Dr. Alblas emphasized the fact that prevention, rather than abortion is the best method of exercising reproductive health and rights adding that it all comes down to countries acceptance of the realities of teenage/young adult sexual lifestyles.
The consultant explained that given the high incidence of HIV/AIDS infections it is important that measures such as back street abortions which have proven ineffective in the past are threats to the well-being of young people.
During her week-long stay in the Federation Dr. Alblas will hold discussions with officials in the Ministry of Gender Affairs concerning sexual and reproductive rights in an attempt to review and upgrade local family planning methods.
She stated that it is important that people realize that they do have sexual rights and choices. She explained that in human sexuality there are a lot of victims and it is often women who become victims, whether it be of abuse or unwanted pregnancies or neglect following those pregnancies.
Dr. Alblas visit is part of a Caribbean initiative on contraception and unsafe abortion of which 15 islands are members.
