[Paper on sterilization in the family planning programs of Colombia: a national debate]. / El papel de la esterlizacion en los programas de planificacion familiar de Colombia: un debate nacional

PIP: During 1984, family planning became the object of heated public debate in Colombia. In particular, considerable controversy surrounded the practice of sterilization. In Colombia in 1980, 49% of married women were practicing family planning. The main protagonist has been Profamilia, an IPPF affliate, which runs clinics and advisory services throughout Colombia. Sterilization is performed quite extensively on men of at least 28 years and women of 25 with 3 living children. Further activities of Profamilia include community distribution and social marketing programs. Many of the health facilities used are those of the Ministry of Public Health. The Minister of Health responded to criticism levelled by the Catholic church and others by instituting an investigation into alleged practices of mass sterilization. Profamilia declared publicy that sterilization was performed only under certain conditions, after waiting periods, and under no circumstances with coersion. Various groups including medical associations publicy supported Profamilia. Although recognizing the need for families to be limited in size, religious and other commentators suggested that sterilization was often presented as a solution to family ills, and that it represented foreign involvement in Colombian social policy. The opposing opinions were that church-supported natural family planning was not an effective enough strategy. The ministry has resolved to invoke more stringent screening of women desiring sterilization to include natural family planning in its programs, and to deal with international organizations only on the ministry level. The number of sterilizations has diminished. The controversy helped to expose political weaknesses of Profamilia's programs (e.g. the use of monetary incentives; lack of supervision).^ieng