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Dedi Mulyadi's vasectomy proposal met with opposition
Coordinating Social Empowerment Minister Muhaimin Iskandar asserted that vasectomy is a personal choice and should not be imposed by anyone, including through government policy.
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Human rights: Access to safe, voluntary family planning is a human right and central to gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as a key factor in reducing poverty. (Courtesy of Shutterstock/V.L)
W
est Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi's controversial proposal to make vasectomy a requirement for individuals applying for government assistance and scholarships has been met with mounting criticism.
A vasectomy is a procedure in which a man’s tubes that carry sperm are cut or blocked to prevent pregnancy, effectively making a man sterile. It is considered a permanent form of birth control, although in some cases, it can be reversed through another surgical procedure, though success rates for reversal are not guaranteed.
Coordinating Social Empowerment Minister Muhaimin Iskandar asserted that vasectomy is a personal choice and should not be imposed by anyone, including through government policy.
“Vasectomy is a matter of human rights and should be carried out voluntarily. The government has no regulations that mandate vasectomy for receiving government assistance," he said over the weekend, as reported by Kompas.com.
Meanwhile, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said government assistance is meant to protect vulnerable groups and that imposing such a requirement would violate their bodily autonomy.
"Even the government’s family planning program, which has been in place for decades, is merely advisory and not compulsory," he said on Saturday.
Discrimination
