Essay On Sterilisation

1587 Words4 Pages

The following case study will investigate the legal and ethical issues surrounding the increasing number of disabled women and girls being subject to sterilisation. A recent article was published highlighting the controversy of sterilisation in regards to a parent’s rights against a child’s autonomy. Legal issues that will be further examined in this case study include the following: facts outlined in the news article, possible defences raised in legal proceedings and the possible outcomes that could eventuate. The ethical issues that will be examined include the following: the ethical issues that could arise in the subject of sterilization, where and why these conflicts would arise and how the ethical issues could be addressed and resolved to benefit the individual. Although the nature of this case study can be controversial and based on personal values and moral, this report endeavours to present the current facts based on literature surrounding sterilisation in women and girls with a disability.

LEGAL ISSUES
The legal issues presented in the recently published news article “Rise in Sterilisations worries disability commissioner” outlines a series of legal implications regarding the sterilisation of women and girls with a disability. When taking legal action in regards to a minor or the disabled multiple legal factors can be raised in either support or defence for a sterilization procedure. The Human Right Watch states, “Sterilization is an irreversible medical procedure with profound physical and psychological effects. Forced sterilization is an act of violence, a form of social control, and a violation of the right to be free from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. The question of the s...

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...e are involved. These elements would need to be considered in order for the procedure of sterilization to be deemed ethical.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion this case study investigated the legal and ethical issues surrounding the increasing number of disabled women and girls being sterilised. Information was analysed from a recent news article; it can now be seen that the topic of sterilization is a controversial issue and has multiple legal and ethical issues. The major issues include the severity of a sterilization procedure and its long time affects on the individual, the human rights of a child in todays society and lastly the rights to autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence. After thoroughly investigating the current literature is can be seen that further evaluation, research and assessment is required surrounding the topic of sterilization in disabled girls.

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