One huge problem that underlies most of the other problems facing the world, governments and individuals is never discussed. The “elephant in the room,” is unrestrained human procreation. This contributes to poverty, environmental devastation, and child abuse, to name a few.
All over the world, people are starving, yet they continue to have more children than they can support. There seem to be three major reasons for this in many countries: religious and male domination and lack of education about and availability of the means of contraception.
The inability of women to control their own bodies is a major factor in poverty and overpopulation. It has been shown that where women have the means and the right to make decisions for themselves, they choose to have fewer children, and the children and mothers are healthier.
If teenagers were made aware that having babies prior to establishing their path in life can severely restrict their future choices, they might be more aware of the importance of making good decisions about dating and sex prior to getting into situations where reason flies out the window. Boys, too, should be educated about their responsibilities and the possibility of being ordered by a court to support an unwanted child.
The only country ever to explicitly challenge overpopulation was China, and it was vilified for its autocratic methods. Underlying this condemnation are some assumptions that deserve attention.
In a country such as ours, it has become common to label too many practices as “human rights.” One is the right to bear children, regardless of the consequences to society, schools, and the children themselves. This leads to the expectation that the government has the obligation to not just protect children from abuse, but to provide for their needs if their parents fail to do so.
There are too many instances of people having children they cannot afford or don’t want through negligence or a mistaken belief that they have a right to do whatever they want. They should not expect that society/governments owe them a living.
If there are human rights, surely a child should have the right to adult parenting, which includes the right to be taught how to become self-supporting and engage with society in a responsible way. It is sad to contemplate the suffering that children face when born to people who cannot or will not care for them properly. This topic deserves thoughtful consideration.
Judith Truesdell lives in Shelburne.