A group of lawyers signed an appeal to China's top family planning authority Wednesday demanding the cancelation of forced intrauterine device (IUD) implants, which have allegedly been used by some local officials to prevent women from having a second child.
In the letter to the National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC) and the Ministry of Public Security, 13 female lawyers suggested the government show more respect for women's rights and that contraception was a matter of people's free will.
Some mothers could not get a hukou (household registration) for their first-born unless they have placed an intrauterine device, or a contraception ring, inside their womb, according to recent online postings and media reports. This measure has been forcibly taken by authorities in several places including Shandong, Guangdong and Henan provinces, the report said.
IUD used to be a common form of contraception in the 1980s and in rural areas, but forced IUD surgery has since been replaced by other measures, which has left the public shocked at the news.
"I'm trying to get the top authorities' attention and carry out effective measures to terminate the misconduct," said Henan-based lawyer Zhang Juan, who is also one of the appeal's initiators.
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