While America Wants Every Women To Have Easy Access To Birth Control, Iran Permanently Outlaws Vasectomies
The world it seems is clearly divided on the issues pertaining to population control. The Inquisitr recently reported about how America is making it easier for all women to have access to birth control techniques. However, across the globe, Iran has just made permanent contraceptive techniques illegal in the country in a bid to arrest the dwindling of population.
The American Administration has essentially ensured that female employees across the country have access to subsidized birth control, even if their employers do not wish to offer them the privilege. The Obama administration announced new measures Friday to allow religious nonprofits and some companies to opt out of paying for birth control for female employees while still ensuring those employees have access to contraception, reported The Huffington Post. Speaking about the same, Health and Human Services Secretary, Sylvia Burwell, said:
“Women across the country deserve access to recommended preventive services that are important to their health, no matter where they work. Today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to providing women with access to coverage for contraception, while respecting religious considerations raised by non-profit organizations and closely held for-profit companies.”
While it is certainly commendable for the Obama Administration to support these women who didn’t have access to birth control methods owing to the reluctance of their employers, across the world in Iran, the local government is concerned about the entirely opposite end of the spectrum. Since the country certainly can’t force its citizens to have more children, it has just taken away their ability to get their tubes tied.
Acting on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s calls for Iran to reverse course and boost its population growth, parliament has passed a bill that has made vasectomies, tubectomies, and other surgical methods of sterilization punishable by two to five years in prison, reported KTVU. The doctors, who perform these procedures, would also be held guilty and punished accordingly.
Supreme Leader Khamenei has spoken quite liberally in recent months about Iran’s need to address its aging population in order to sustain development. In a 14-point program issued in May, the supreme leader called on the three branches of government to take immediate steps to help increase the birthrate. These “steps” included the elimination of barriers to marriage and the provision of support to young couples. The plan also called for the promotion of an “Islamic and Iranian lifestyle” and countering “the negative aspects” of Western lifestyles.
Apparently, the supreme leader has issued a single statement that summarizes the agenda. He says:
“The more the merrier”
While America is ensuring there are lesser pregnancies, Iran is making sure more couples bear more children. Which of the countries are right in their agenda?
[Image Credit | AP]
