MP Georges Dallemagne at a pro-SRHR rally in Manilla. Copyright EPF Georges Dallemagne, Belgian MP and member of the Parliamentarians for the 2030 Agenda visited the Philippines and learned about the country's outstanding challenges in living up to the needs of its young population.
The Philippines counts as many as 104 million people and is the 13th most populated country in the world. The country has seen an unprecedented growth of its population, in part due to the lack of access to family planning. The Philippines’ ultraconservative catholic church forbade access to contraception and while its influence is said to be slowly lessening, it is still having a huge impact on the family planning decisions of citizens. Only 40% of all young women have access to contraceptives and one in 10 girls has their first child before the age of 10.
The Philippines counts as many as 104 million people and is the 13th most populated country in the world. The country has seen an unprecedented growth of its population, in part due to the lack of access to family planning. The Philippines’ ultraconservative catholic church forbade access to contraception and while its influence is said to be slowly lessening, it is still having a huge impact on the family planning decisions of citizens. Only 40% of all young women have access to contraceptives and one in 10 girls has their first child before the age of 10.
Children playing in the streets of Manilla. Copyright EPF Without access to family planning and abortion being illegal, about 2 million women need to seek recourse to clandestine abortion services each year. The country’s maternal mortality ratio is at 121 per 100.000 live births. Women in the Philippines are consequently 30 times more likely to die of pregancy or birth-related complications then women in Belgium.
The country visit led by EPF allowed Dallemagne and other European MPs to exchange views with Philippine peers and members of civil society. Dallemagne called on the Belgian MPs to increase our dialogue with the country and to continue to criticize the country for its human rights violations.
The country visit led by EPF allowed Dallemagne and other European MPs to exchange views with Philippine peers and members of civil society. Dallemagne called on the Belgian MPs to increase our dialogue with the country and to continue to criticize the country for its human rights violations.
RSS Feed