Poverty alleviation: Rethinking poverty solutions with reproductive health access
In Plato's renowned political treatise 'The Republic', he writes: "Democracy is the birth of two nations – the rich and the poor."
Some Namibians take pride in considering their country more appealing compared to others on the continent, citing metrics like political stability and social welfare grants. However, Plato's adage casts a shadow over these metrics. Frankly, what does political stability matter when you reside in an informal settlement, enduring undignified living conditions without access to basic amenities? What significance do social welfare grants hold in a capitalistic society that swiftly consumes your grant the moment it's received?
The divide between the rich and the poor brings to mind a quote attributed to Napoleon: "There must be religion. Otherwise, the poor would murder the rich." Napoleon made this statement during a time when Europe was predominantly ruled by monarchies, with rulers often coronated by the Pope, symbolising God's approval of their legitimacy.
Today, religion has been replaced by democracy as the force that maintains social order. Similar to the role of the Pope in Napoleon's era, advocates of democracy promote capitalist principles as the means of bringing social salvation to the masses. However, it's important to heed the words of Margaret Thatcher, who emphasised that "the moral foundations of society extend not only to its political system but also to its economic system."
Despite democracy's moral foundation, it "birthed two nations", underscoring the reality that while democracy promises equality and opportunity for all, economic disparities persist, widening the gap between the wealthy elite and the impoverished masses. Recognising and addressing this inequality is essential for ensuring that democracy truly serves the interests of all members of society, especially women in informal settlements.
From the era of Napoleon to our modern day, women disproportionately bear the burden of economic disparities compared to men. This brings me to the core reason for writing this piece: women's sexual and reproductive health is profoundly affected by a myriad of factors, including economic deprivation. Recently, I found myself engaged in a petty exchange of text messages on a WhatsApp group. One member insinuated that the booming population growth in poorer communities is due to a lack of seriousness about planned parenthood. I strongly disagreed with this perspective.
Reproductive autonomy
Democracy birthing two nations means that two schools of thought exist in society, and the rich cannot comprehend why, unlike themselves, women living in poverty in informal settlements do not have the power to simply decide not to have children – the poorer a woman is, the more she relinquishes her autonomy.
The struggle faced by women in impoverished communities mirrors the challenges all women endured before the creation of the oral contraceptive pill in 1950, which revolutionised generations by granting women unprecedented freedom and reproductive autonomy. In the 2020s, providing impoverished women in informal settlements with access to comprehensive reproductive health services has the potential to transform entire generations and possibly reverse the economic plight of those living in these marginalised communities.
In an article dated 16 July 2022, the Namibian Newspaper reported 160 800 teen pregnancies in Namibia over a twelve-year period. Unsurprisingly, the most economically impoverished regions in the country – Ohangwena, Kavango East and Omusati – had the highest numbers, with a combined total of 60 500 learners out of the 14 regions.
It's not coincidental that teen pregnancies are less prevalent in schools in the Windhoek suburbs compared to those in the townships – the wealthy have access to adequate and continuous sexual and reproductive health services.
To illustrate, when Annemarie van Vuuren at Windhoek Afrikaans Private School falls pregnant, her father can afford to terminate the pregnancy, and Annemarie can continue her schooling. We've all heard of cases where Afrikaner teens travel to South Africa for abortions. Meanwhile, Naambo Negumbo from A. Shipena Secondary School lacks access to the basic services available to Annemarie. Economic deprivation prevents girls like Naambo from accessing adequate sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion in this instance.
'Withhold judgement'
As I mentioned earlier, the more economically disadvantaged a woman is, the more likely she is to relinquish her autonomy. This poverty extends beyond economic factors to include academic limitations as well.
While it's not feasible to alleviate poverty overnight, we can strive to educate individuals from a young age. This is crucial because teenagers are engaging in sexual activities at increasingly younger ages, partly due to the pervasive sexualization in Western television programmes they consume. However, from a biological perspective, Daniel Lieberman, a professor in the department of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, highlights an alarming trend. He states that data from France indicates that during Napoleon's time, the average age at which girls reached menarche (onset of menstruation) was sixteen. Today, in France, this age has dropped to twelve.
Access to sexual and reproductive health means providing women with the full spectrum of services and choices they need at every stage of their reproductive journey. This starts with access to comprehensive information about reproductive health, including education about contraception and family planning methods. It also involves ensuring access to a wide range of contraceptive options to suit individual needs and preferences. The keyword here is ACCESS. However, in cases where contraception fails or an unintended pregnancy occurs, it's crucial that women have access to safe and affordable options, including state-funded abortions.
A notable example of access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services can be found in Cuba, despite being one of the poorest countries in the world. In Cuba, all women and teenagers have access to the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health services. The state recognises that, despite limited resources, it is more cost-effective to provide women with the necessary services than to bear the burden of an increasingly growing impoverished community.
Until we ensure that the poor have equal access to sexual and reproductive health services as the wealthy, it's important to withhold judgement regarding why women in impoverished communities continue to have children.
*Batcho Katumbo, MD
Some Namibians take pride in considering their country more appealing compared to others on the continent, citing metrics like political stability and social welfare grants. However, Plato's adage casts a shadow over these metrics. Frankly, what does political stability matter when you reside in an informal settlement, enduring undignified living conditions without access to basic amenities? What significance do social welfare grants hold in a capitalistic society that swiftly consumes your grant the moment it's received?
The divide between the rich and the poor brings to mind a quote attributed to Napoleon: "There must be religion. Otherwise, the poor would murder the rich." Napoleon made this statement during a time when Europe was predominantly ruled by monarchies, with rulers often coronated by the Pope, symbolising God's approval of their legitimacy.
Today, religion has been replaced by democracy as the force that maintains social order. Similar to the role of the Pope in Napoleon's era, advocates of democracy promote capitalist principles as the means of bringing social salvation to the masses. However, it's important to heed the words of Margaret Thatcher, who emphasised that "the moral foundations of society extend not only to its political system but also to its economic system."
Despite democracy's moral foundation, it "birthed two nations", underscoring the reality that while democracy promises equality and opportunity for all, economic disparities persist, widening the gap between the wealthy elite and the impoverished masses. Recognising and addressing this inequality is essential for ensuring that democracy truly serves the interests of all members of society, especially women in informal settlements.
From the era of Napoleon to our modern day, women disproportionately bear the burden of economic disparities compared to men. This brings me to the core reason for writing this piece: women's sexual and reproductive health is profoundly affected by a myriad of factors, including economic deprivation. Recently, I found myself engaged in a petty exchange of text messages on a WhatsApp group. One member insinuated that the booming population growth in poorer communities is due to a lack of seriousness about planned parenthood. I strongly disagreed with this perspective.
Reproductive autonomy
Democracy birthing two nations means that two schools of thought exist in society, and the rich cannot comprehend why, unlike themselves, women living in poverty in informal settlements do not have the power to simply decide not to have children – the poorer a woman is, the more she relinquishes her autonomy.
The struggle faced by women in impoverished communities mirrors the challenges all women endured before the creation of the oral contraceptive pill in 1950, which revolutionised generations by granting women unprecedented freedom and reproductive autonomy. In the 2020s, providing impoverished women in informal settlements with access to comprehensive reproductive health services has the potential to transform entire generations and possibly reverse the economic plight of those living in these marginalised communities.
In an article dated 16 July 2022, the Namibian Newspaper reported 160 800 teen pregnancies in Namibia over a twelve-year period. Unsurprisingly, the most economically impoverished regions in the country – Ohangwena, Kavango East and Omusati – had the highest numbers, with a combined total of 60 500 learners out of the 14 regions.
It's not coincidental that teen pregnancies are less prevalent in schools in the Windhoek suburbs compared to those in the townships – the wealthy have access to adequate and continuous sexual and reproductive health services.
To illustrate, when Annemarie van Vuuren at Windhoek Afrikaans Private School falls pregnant, her father can afford to terminate the pregnancy, and Annemarie can continue her schooling. We've all heard of cases where Afrikaner teens travel to South Africa for abortions. Meanwhile, Naambo Negumbo from A. Shipena Secondary School lacks access to the basic services available to Annemarie. Economic deprivation prevents girls like Naambo from accessing adequate sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion in this instance.
'Withhold judgement'
As I mentioned earlier, the more economically disadvantaged a woman is, the more likely she is to relinquish her autonomy. This poverty extends beyond economic factors to include academic limitations as well.
While it's not feasible to alleviate poverty overnight, we can strive to educate individuals from a young age. This is crucial because teenagers are engaging in sexual activities at increasingly younger ages, partly due to the pervasive sexualization in Western television programmes they consume. However, from a biological perspective, Daniel Lieberman, a professor in the department of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, highlights an alarming trend. He states that data from France indicates that during Napoleon's time, the average age at which girls reached menarche (onset of menstruation) was sixteen. Today, in France, this age has dropped to twelve.
Access to sexual and reproductive health means providing women with the full spectrum of services and choices they need at every stage of their reproductive journey. This starts with access to comprehensive information about reproductive health, including education about contraception and family planning methods. It also involves ensuring access to a wide range of contraceptive options to suit individual needs and preferences. The keyword here is ACCESS. However, in cases where contraception fails or an unintended pregnancy occurs, it's crucial that women have access to safe and affordable options, including state-funded abortions.
A notable example of access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services can be found in Cuba, despite being one of the poorest countries in the world. In Cuba, all women and teenagers have access to the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health services. The state recognises that, despite limited resources, it is more cost-effective to provide women with the necessary services than to bear the burden of an increasingly growing impoverished community.
Until we ensure that the poor have equal access to sexual and reproductive health services as the wealthy, it's important to withhold judgement regarding why women in impoverished communities continue to have children.
*Batcho Katumbo, MD
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Namibian Sun
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