Noni Freebourne
12B1
Ms.Grant
Theme: Reproduction
Topic: Females should be the only ones to have a say in their decision to reproduce
Expository Essay
Island Voices, Empowered Choices: Embracing Women's Reproductive Autonomy in the
Caribbean. This slogan embodies the entity of the researcher’s theme and topic in the
Caribbean scene. The theme they decided upon was reproduction with a focus on the
reproductive freedom of women especially in Jamaica. Reproductive rights have a deep
history and importance throughout the Caribbean as there was once a time in their history
where reproductive rights were restricted and blatantly unavailable. This was within the times
of slavery were men and women had no freedom whatsoever which resulted in women
resorting to extreme methods such as infanticide and induced abortion to gain a sense of
control over their reproductive capabilities and to prevent that child from experiencing the
hardships of slavery. Centuries have passed since then and issues relating to reproductive
freedom have yet to be resolved. For instance, some may argue that the government’s interest
in matters relating to reproductive rights only serves for the greater good of the nation;
however women have always been considered the focal point of such discussions as it
directly affects decisions made relating to their reproductive abilities. As such the main topic
of discussion is that females should be the only ones to have a say in their decision to
reproduce. This topic was selected due to the researcher’s expressed interest in reproductive
rights especially abortions and the conflicting opinions on the topic which will be discussed
within this essay. In conducting the research to formulate this essay however, the researcher
was met with a few challenges. One such difficulty was finding secondary sources which
discussed the specific criteria which will be presented in this essay as there are limited
resources relating to reproductive rights as it is a discussion that is often sidelined in the
Caribbean as compared to first world countries in which it is a prevalent and frequently
discussed topic. This is especially relevant in Jamaica being a country driven by religion as
moral factors brought forward by the church often abruptly end any serious discussion of the
topic on a national scale. This issue was resolved by rephrasing the research question and
casting a broader net by identifying possible sources and analysing their relevance towards
the theme and topic. Another issue present was the channel used to conduct the interview
used as the primary source. The channel used was a whatsapp voice call as the interviewer
and interviewee reside in different locales.A face to face would have been the most
appropriate medium as any misunderstanding could be clarified immediately and there
would be more details to interpret based on non-verbal cues and overall impressions. Poor
wifi connection also acted as a barrier to the communication process but that was overcomed
by switching medium to a normal voice call and by clear communication between the
interviewee and interviewer. After these challenges were overcome, the sources were
determined to be an interview which acts as the primary source and two secondary sources
being a journal article and a book. These sources were assessed and will be discussed
thoroughly as it relates to the theme and topic in order to reach a consensus on the validity of
the researcher’s topic.
A 30 minute interview was conducted on November 14, 2023 at 08:37 pm. The
interviewee was Registered General Nurse, Demisha Prehay. During the interview, Ms.
Prehay gave some very valuable insight based on interview questions formulated based on
the topic. Ms. Prehay commented that based on the human rights available in today’s society,
the decisions a woman makes about her body should be hers however when a child or a
foetus is in play, the decisions would be between her and the father of the child. She went on
to say that in previous years, women didn’t have the autonomy to make such decisions like
family planning, and using permanent contraceptives like tubal ligation but due to the
adaptation of laws and research, these services have become more available. As it relates to
the rules and regulations that stipulate reproductive rights, Ms. Prehay commented that
abortions are illegal in Jamaica and this restricts the autonomy of women reproductive rights
however in the case that the child poses a serious risk to the mother’s life, the mother and
father can come together and make a decision to get an abortion and after consulting a doctor,
a legal abortion can take place. On the other hand, if one is irresponsible and conceives a
child and illegally gets an abortion, if a doctor is found to have done an illegal abortion his
licence would be restricted or revoked which would not allow to continue practising as a
doctor legally in that country. “Basically it’s your body but if it’s a case where you are
mentally challenged or physically unable to care for your child they may not be able to stop
you from reproducing because they can’t take that right from you but what they can do is
implement measures to prevent you from having around 6,7 or 9 children who would become
wards of the state or they would need to be adopted by a family member. While they can’t
say stop having kids, they can put measures in place to reduce the amount of children have”,
Ms. Prehay stated as the legal aspect and government restrictions were further discussed. In
response to a follow up question Ms. Prehay agreed with the decision of the government as it
relates to abortion as the process is not only harmful to the child but also to the mother and
should be done by a trained doctor to avoid further complications that may be life
threatening. As the interview drew to a close Ms. Prehay commented on the socio economic
aspect stating that if a woman is not providing for herself and is being provided for by her
partner, they may not be able to say that they don’t want to have any more children and as
such the partner would have more say in the matter of reproduction decisions; the agencies
that advocate for women’s reproductive rights such as human rights agencies, the ministry of
health which provides contraceptives and UNFPA which acts on a caribbean scale were
discussed; the fact that women are more career driven which results in them have less kids
compared to their parents and grandparents and the generational differences in reproductive
decisions were discussed and lastly technology and the evolution of the medical sector, Ms.
Prehay comments, allows women to make more informed and empowered reproductive
choices in the caribbean.
Ms. Prehay is a credible source as she studied at the University of the West Indies for 4
years obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and has served as a Registered General
Nurse for 5 years. Furthermore she is now studying to become a midwife which strengthens
her credibility as it relates to this topic. Ms. Prehay was very precise throughout the interview
and a lot of information was gained. This information proved to be factual as she supported
her responses with examples as well as her personal experiences as a nurse. In order to
conduct this interview, however, questions were formulated in such a way that it related to
the theme and topic and allowed for a wide range of information relating to the topic to be
collected. Furthermore follow up questions were asked by the researcher in order to obtain
more information and reinforce the credibility of the information received. As such the
interview questions acted as a suitable instrument to ensure a seamless and informative
interview.
A book titled “SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS IN THE
ENGLISH-SPEAKING CARIBBEAN A Study of Maternal Mortality, Abortion and Health
Sector Reform in Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago” by DAWN
(DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES WITH WOMEN FOR A NEW ERA) was the second
source of information for this exposition. This book, as the name suggests, is a study of the
sexual and reproductive rights in english speaking caribbean in the early 21st century. It
discussed the reforms that were proposed in previous years. One such reform relates to the
health sector where the Caribbean women's movement was urged to play a major role in this
dialogue and in the planning and implementation of programmes.It was stated that “many
have noted a lack of energy and the absence of direction in the Caribbean women's movement
today around issues that are of central concern to Caribbean people, and women in
particular.” This quote implies that although reproductive rights have been amended since
slavery, more changes needed to be done. In the initial stages of research it was found that
“There is especially need for discussions on the links between health sector reforms and the
outcomes of the ICPD; between sexual and reproductive rights, abortion and maternal
morbidity and mortality; and between gender equality and women's empowerment and the
spread of HIV / AIDS” (vi-x, etc). The empowerment of women is seen as a crucial link to
important discussion about AIDS/HIV , mortality and morbidity. It continues with former
president of CAPRA, Margaret Gill, commenting on the factors that contributed to the
destabilisation of the movement of the CAPRA. The author agreed on the points made but
stated that an important point was missing. In their words, “In a regional workshop on
empowerment sponsored by the Women and Development Unit (WAND) of the University
of the West Indies in the 1980s, Caribbean women identified two sources of empowerment
that are seldom mentioned or discussed: spirituality and sexuality. By this they did not mean
either 'religion' (which they considered oppressive) or 'sexual activity' (which some
considered problematic). They were speaking of internal experience or a sense of
connectedness with the self; comfort with one's body, with 'the spirit within' that reaches out
to our relationship with others. It is in that sense that I believe a necessary element in any
efforts to re-energise the women's movement in this region must be the opportunity to
understand sexuality and how this relates to both the forces' that empower us as individuals,
as well as to those pitted against a movement for gender equality and women's
empowerment”. A plethora of information was present about sexual and reproductive rights
however as it relates to the gender aspect of reproduction, it’s stated that “Gender analysis
and programmatic considerations not thoroughly integrated into programmes and planning
and the lack of programmes focusing on male health needs around reproduction and
including men in the reproductive process.” This statement conflicts with the topic of the
researcher which states that females should be the only ones to have a say in their decision to
reproduce. While females are at the forefront of discussions relating to reproductive rights
and reproduction in general, it was also noted that men are often absent from talks about the
reproductive process even though they play a crucial role. As such, one of the points of
discussion was the integration of a gender perspective throughout the health reform process
and in the design of health reform strategies.
“SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS IN THE
ENGLISH-SPEAKING CARIBBEAN "A Study of Maternal Mortality, Abortion and Health
Sector Reform in Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago” by DAWN , the
book used as my second source may not be a credible source. Currency plays an important
role in evaluating the credibility and reliability of a source. For this sole reason, this source
may not be credible. This research for this report was completed in 2004 which is almost two
decades ago. There have been many changes that have occurred in the last two decades that
this book would not have recorded. Despite this fact, the information provided was relevant
toward the theme and topic and allows the researcher to analyse the topic from the
perspective of a more recent past. The authors are members of the organisation Development
Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) which is a network of feminist scholars,
researchers and activists working for economic and gender justice and sustainable and
democratic development. The agency was formed in 1984 and has been recognized as a
significant figure in the progress in gender and development and a key figure in the global
feminist / women’s movements. The purpose of the piece is to show that individual sexual
and reproductive health rights, despite the importance of such rights in the lives of Caribbean
people,were yet to be fully realised being particularly true for women and girls. This was
achieved throughout the piece which reinforces the accuracy of the piece along with the use
of an extensive and detailed reference.
The last source used in the research was a journal article by Shakira Maxwell titled
Fighting a Losing Battle? Defending Women’s Reproductive Rights in Twenty-First Century
Jamaica which was published in September 2012. She begins by discussing the history of
reproductive rights or the lack thereof during the times of slavery and the need for reforment
to the laws relating to abortion. “Discussions in relation to improving the quality of women’s
reproductive health have been a goal of the women’s rights movement for a number of years.
According to T.S. Sundari Ravindran (1995), both reproductive health and sexual health form
the backbone of women’s health policy. She notes that both issues demand the greatest
attention because they speak to the matter of “women’s lack of control over their bodies, their
fertility and their sexual lives—and therefore their health” (Ravindran 1995, 8)” Shakira
commented. As other sources have stated, improving the quality of women’s reproductive
health has always been the aim of many movements and women’s lack of choice over their
bodies. As Ms. Prehay stated, “Her body, her choice” and that’s what these movements are
working to reinforce. Although that is the aim, Ms. Maxwell goes on to say, “Globally, the
literature in relation to reproductive health embodies discussions in relation to health
services; women and men’s access to and use of contraceptives; the need to curtail the spread
of STIs and HIV/AIDS; the importance of reducing the levels of maternal mortality and
morbidity; and improvements in health care facilities (Mueller 1993; Pillai and Wang 1999;
Spicehandler 1997; Hardee et al. 1999; Forman and Ghosh 2000). Such issues are at the heart
of changes to health policies and programmes which would facilitate changes or
improvements to the quality of reproductive health for both sexes. (96,97, etc)” While the
goal is women’s autonomy in reproduction, no source fails to imply that men and women
reproductive rights and health are both important. The clearest reference to this is when Ms.
Maxwill states, “Embedded in this definition are the rights of both men and women to be
given the freedom to access any and all information, methods and services which would
provide them with the best opportunities to make informed decisions in relation to whether or
not to become pregnant and to have children.” This strongly implies that it’s not just a
female’s opinion alone that matters but also males as both parties are necessary to make a
child therefore some discussion or agreement should be had with their partner when one
decides to conceive a child. Contradicting this point however the author continues by saying,
“While the definition encompasses the rights of both men and women, since women are the
ones who bear the burden of pregnancy and oftentimes child rearing, it can be argued that
matters in relation to reproductive health are gendered in nature”. This point is valid, more so
in the Caribbean than other regions. Ms. Maxwell argues that issues relating to reproduction
affects women a lot more than men which has led to the continued male centred society
where women are subordinate and sometimes unable to access information needed to make
informed reproductive choices. She goes to discuss the need for equality when it comes to
reproductive policies and practices and focuses her research on a highly debated issue
worldwide which is often sidelined in Jamaica; abortion.
Fighting a Losing Battle? Defending Women’s Reproductive Rights in Twenty-First
Century Jamaica by Shakira Maxwell was the final source and it may not be credible.
Similarly to the second source, the journal article is not current as it was published over a
decade ago and does not record current events that might have occurred relating to the topic
of the article. The relevance of this article is proven as it has provided contradicting ideas
relating to the researcher’s theme allowing for a more balanced argument. Furthermore Mrs.
Shakira Maxwell is currently the Executive Assistant to the Vice Chancellor, Office of the
Vice-Chancellor, The University of the West Indies from 2021 to 2023 and previously an
Assistant Lecturer in the Mona Unit, Centre for Gender and Development Studies, UWI,
Mona and obtained her M.Phil. Degree in History at Mona, examining the construction of
femininity through criminality in Jamaica in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Her extensive and active knowledge of gender development and femininity reinforces the
validity of the source. The main purpose of the article was to discuss abortion and the needed
reform relating to the legality of it, making reference to the nature of reproductive rights and
the inequality of men and women as it relates to these rights. This is in line with the theme
and topic of the research further validating its credibility and the reference list of verified
sources supports the accuracy of the article.
The research mainly contradicts the topic disproving that females should be the only ones to
have a say in their decision to reproduce however the reproductive rights of women should be
respected as are the decisions regarding their body. To clarify, as mentioned previously, “Her
body, her choice” but when a female decides to reproduce voluntarily, consulting with their
romantic partner is recommended. All sources disagreed with the topic however the third
source, more than others, made a counter argument somewhat agreeing with the notion that
females should be the only ones to have a say in their decision to reproduce mentioning the
inequality between the reproductive rights of men and women and that women bearing the
burden of pregnancy and often child rearing, naturally should have more of a say relating
their reproductive choices. Furthermore in a male centred society, information is less
accessible to females who have to make the important decision that leads to reproduction.
Based on the review of all sources, the decision to reproduce is one that should involve not
only the female but also their partner.