When cultural practices and the right to reproductive health do not mix

Some cultural practices remain obstacles to the implementation of the rights to Reproductive Health in our societies.

Despite the progress made, cultural practices such as genital mutilation, breast ironing and forced marriages persist and continue to threaten adolescent reproductive health. It is estimated that about 133 million women worldwide have been victims. Although the risk has now declined by a third, compared with 30 years ago, it is expected that about 3 million people will be exposed to these practices in Africa.

Yet there are laws that prohibit these practices both within states and within international organizations. This is the case for rights to Reproductive Health. These were initiated by the International Federation for Family Planning (IPPF) in close collaboration with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.

Twelve of the rights to reproductive health include the principles of equality and respect for others, protection of sexual and reproductive health and sexual responsibility, and, above all, the capacity of individuals to regulate their fertility and have safe sexuality. These are the parameters that should be taken into account by the communities within the framework of respect for human rights.

All the same, it must be said that all these rights still have difficulty to apply in the target households. One of the most cited reasons is the fact that the victims are mostly infants and unable to oppose these practices.