Emergency Contraception for the "Fairer Sex" in Rajasthan, India

RxPG News reports that the government of Rajasthan, India, in conjunction with the NGO Population Services International, is promoting emergency contraception:

With a view to combating the high maternal mortality rate and empowering the women, the government Friday launched a programme that is expected to tackle some common misconceptions and taboos related to childbirth.

Along with state's Health Minister Digamber Singh, the emergency contraception programme was jointly launched by board members of Population Services International, -, a non-governmental organisation, Hollywood actor Ashley Judd and Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar.

PSl has piloted this social marketing initiative to encourage and promote the concept of emergency contraception amongst local people.

I did have to laugh at the quote attributed to Ashley Judd (one can only hope that these aren't actually her words):

Judd, who is also a member of the PSI board, said: 'Woman is the nucleus of the family and we need to preserve good healthy conditions for the fairer sex to promote her family.'

But in all seriousness, it's great to see emergency contraception being promoted both in the United States and abroad.  This safe, effective method of pregnancy prevention has been the "best kept secret" in contraception for far too long.  See also: Colorado To Require Hospitals to Tell Rape Survivors About Emergency Contraception; NYC Health Department To Promote Emergency Contraception; Emergency Contraception for Teens: Free, or Off-Limits? (describing Chile's program offering free EC at public hospitals).

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