A UN report from 2014 states that forced sterilisation is “a severe violation of women’s reproductive rights and serves as a method of medical control of a woman’s fertility without the consent of a woman. Essentially involving the battery of a woman—violating her physical integrity and security—forced sterilisation constitutes violence against women.” Many articles point to a reason behind a particular sterilisation effort. Depending on the location and era, a programme may be grounded in racism, sexism, xenophobia, classism or fear of HIV. As The Independent reports, an aggressive policy in China is aimed at population control.
In Kenya, some women are being coerced into the procedure by doctors who threaten to take away their anti-retroviral medicines if they don’t acquiesce; others are not told that anything is happening to them and find out when it's too late. They go to hospitals for routine surgeries or Caesarean sections and leave with their reproductive systems destroyed.
Women Win is currently seeking more information from organisations using sport as a tool to address forced sterilisation with girls and women. If you know of a programme or initiative, please share it here.