Family planning and population control in developing countries: Ethical and sociocultural dilemmas.

摘要

Do governments have the right to restrict individual freedom and right to have fewer or more children? Is it justifiable to control population in order to benefit society as a whole? Most of family planning and population control policies and programs in developing countries face resistant from the same people it aims to help. This can be mainly due to some ethical, socio-cultural beliefs, and moral values held by individuals and society as a whole. The challenges call for a need of family planning and population control programs to invest in examining ethical and socio-cultural dilemmas pertaining to these programs and policies. We recommend that family planning and population control programs should set ethical guidelines known to the public about the family planning and population control so as to educate and inform the people and thus avoid what can be considered as unnecessary ethical dilemma and conflict.