UK aid helps to fund forced sterilisation of India's poor

Tens of millions of pounds of UK aid money have been spent on a programme that has forcibly sterilised Indian women and men, the Observer has learned. Many have died as a result of botched operations, while others have been left bleeding and in agony. A number of pregnant women selected for sterilisation suffered miscarriages and lost their babies.

UK aid helps to fund forced sterilisation of India's poor

Just like in Nazi Germany, it's OK to do this to other people, as long as it doesn't happen to you!



Why was this program initiated in the first place?

Yet a working paper published by the UK's Department for International Development in 2010 cited the need to fight climate change as one of the key reasons for pressing ahead with such programmes. The document argued that reducing population numbers would cut greenhouse gases, although it warned that there were "complex human rights and ethical issues" involved in forced population control.

Strange that this thread isn't getting more attention - S&F for you!

I can't imagine many of us are aware that this is happening, yet the article is written in a tone conveying both the UK and India have reached a somewhat diplomatic understanding of non-interference and the UK is only providing funding. How doesn't this qualify as a human rights violation?

Sometimes I wonder if certain practices aren't first tested on countries the world isn't concerned with, so that later, when tested on a population like the UK's or US's, it can be stated that this practice has been in action for years. Unless people can justify why it only matters when it's happening to them, they'll accept the rationale. It'll just be easier for everyone.