Among its projects for the coming year, the China Parenthood Association announced plans to "intervene" in the case of abortions in unmarried women and adolescent girls, according to the South China Morning Post. Also, as part of the fight against the Chinese demographic crisis, the organization is going to promote traditional values ​​and a “positive” image of marriage and a large family.

The China Planned Parenthood Association said it would "intervene" when unmarried women and teenage girls want to have an abortion, according to the South China Morning Post.

In its plan, which outlines the association's main initiatives for the coming year, the organization noted that such "interventions" will be carried out with the aim of "improving reproductive health." In addition, the association noted that it will create a working group that will educate and promote traditional values ​​in the field of family planning. However, the organization has not yet provided details about its projects.

As recalled by the publication, in May last year, China relaxed the rules on birth control and allowed families to have three children. The country is now struggling with a large-scale demographic crisis associated with an aging population and a declining birth rate. Despite the fact that in 2016 Beijing ended the decades-old one-child policy, the situation has not yet been reversed. Many young Chinese are afraid to have children for economic reasons and because of insufficient social support from the state.

The Planned Parenthood Association intends to combat the problem by promoting a "positive" image of marriage and large families, educational programs and providing better prenatal and postnatal care for women. The organization intends to advocate for the distribution between parents of responsibilities for raising children in the family, as well as for the abolition of the practice of buying brides, common in some communities of the country.

The South China Morning Post emphasizes that it is not yet clear exactly how the association intends to "intervene" in abortion. According to a gynecologist in Shenzhen, who asked not to be named, the hospital she works at has not received any specific instructions to stop abortions.

Chen Yaya, a researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and feminist expert, believes the new plan could be aimed at reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies and therefore abortions. At the same time, Chen stressed that such measures should be implemented with caution. “Otherwise, it may end up stigmatizing young women who have to have an abortion, and this can put them in a position that is more vulnerable than it needs to be,” the expert explained. In her opinion, it is necessary to devote more resources to the organization of general sexual education, especially for men, so that they respect and understand women more.

Wang Yaqiu, a China expert at Human Rights Watch, noted that there is room for abuse of power within such an initiative. The analyst recalled that during the period of the “one family, one child” policy, many women were forced to have abortions. “It is clear from the document that the Chinese government encourages the birth of children and is trying to reduce the number of abortions. Given his history of restricting women's reproductive rights and violating their physical integrity with harsh measures, such an initiative is undoubtedly a matter of concern,” Wang commented.