"Asocial" women sterilized under president's decree?

The European Radio for Belarus reported yesterday that 78 percent of "asocial women" in the Niasvizh district" were subjected to sterilization. Today, this information was confirmed by Sviatlana Davydzka, a gynecologist at the Niasvizh district hospital.  She said this year alone two "asocial" women -- from Stoubtsy and Niasvizh -- were sterilized. Doctors act in accordance with presidential decree No 18.

Davydzka: “We have a president's decree as regards social factors. This is not our initiative. Women are always asked about their personal consent. They always have to write an application. No one forces them. There is no violence here”.

According to Sviatlana Davydzka, not only gynecologists but usual physicians across the country work to explain to "asocial" women about the need of sterilization.