Towards a dialogue on adolescent sexuality
The article discusses a recent Supreme Court judgment allowing medical termination of pregnancy at 28 weeks for an unwed minor, highlighting the ethical dilemma faced by doctors regarding foetal viability and their obligations. It argues that such cases are symptomatic of a deeper structural issue: the state's failure to appropriately address adolescent sexuality. The article criticizes the blanket criminalization of consensual adolescent sexual activity under the POCSO Act and the absence of comprehensive sex education, advocating for a more nuanced policy approach that acknowledges adolescent sexuality and promotes safe practices.
The article discusses a recent Supreme Court judgment allowing medical termination of pregnancy at 28 weeks for an unwed minor, highlighting the ethical dilemma faced by doctors regarding foetal viability and their obligations. It argues that such cases are symptomatic of a deeper structural issue: the state's failure to appropriately address adolescent sexuality. The article criticizes the blanket criminalization of consensual adolescent sexual activity under the POCSO Act and the absence of comprehensive sex education, advocating for a more nuanced policy approach that acknowledges adolescent sexuality and promotes safe practices.
Exam linkage
GS Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice
Syllabus mapping
This topic appears in Mains
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