Imposing Misery: The Impact of Manila's Contraception Ban on Women and Families

Likhaan, ReproCen, and the Center for Reproductive Rights have released
a report documenting the devastating impact of Manilas contraception
ban on women and their families. In 2000, the mayor of Manila, Jose
"Lito" Atienza, issued an Executive Order (EO) "upholding natural
family
planning" and "discouraging the use of artificial methods of
contraception like condoms, pills, intrauterine devices, surgical
sterilization, and other [methods]." This sweeping EO, in effect, bans
city health centers and hospitals from providing contraception to women
in need of this essential reproductive health care service. Poor women
are suffering the most under this ban.

The report, Imposing Misery: The Impact of Manilas Contraception Ban on
Women and Families, is based on a series of compelling interviews with
women affected by the EO, government and health officials, and
nongovernmental organizations. Its conclusions are clear: the EO harms
the lives and health of women, as well as their families, by depriving
them of the basic human right to make decisions about their own bodies
and whether and when to have children. Further, the report establishes
that the EO violates national and international law.

This report alerts the Manila City and national government to the
violations resulting from the EO and issues recommendations to nullify
the policy. Likhaan, ReproCen, and the Center for Reproductive Rights
are working to ensure that Manila residents have easy and affordable
access to a full range of family planning options, in accordance with
the Philippines obligations under constitutional, national, and
international law. In addition, these three organizations have called
on
the new mayor, Alfredo S. Lim, who took office this July, to revoke the
ban.

* Click here to read the report online > >
http://reproductiverights.org/pdf/Philippines%20report.pdf

* Click here to read the Executive Summary and Key Testimonies > >
http://reproductiverights.org/pdf/Philippines%20Summary.pdf