Incentivised sterilisation: lessons from India and for the future

Abstract

Family planning programmes in India have historically been target-driven and incentive-based with sterilisation seen as a key component of controlling population growth. This opinion paper uses India as the backcloth to examine the ethics of using incentive policy measures to promote and secure sterilisations within communities. Whilst we acknowledge that these measures have some value in reproductive health care, their use raises specific issues and wider concerns where the outcome is likely to be permanent and life changing for the acceptor.

摘要

印度的计划生育项目历来以目标为导向, 以激励为基础, 绝育被视为控制人口增长的关键组成部分。这篇论文以印度为背景, 考察了在社区内应用激励政策措施促进和确保绝育的伦理性。虽然我们承认这些措施在生殖保健方面有一定价值, 但应用这些措施会引起具体问题和更广泛的关注, 因为其结果可能是永久性的, 而且可能改变接受者的生活。

Keywords:

• Incentivisation
• targets
• population
• sterilisation
• human rights

Author contributions

SR conceived the idea for the paper. SR did an initial search; JW checked and added to this. Both authors drafted the manuscript and then edited further drafts. Both authors approved the final version.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).