REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: A FAMILY CONCERN OR A STATE OBLIGATION? TOWARD A NEW ETHICS OF THE HUMAN PERSON
Reproductive health has traditionally been approached through medical, social, and policy perspectives, often emphasizing physiological, demographic, or economic concerns. Yet its ethical dimension—particularly the balance between individual autonomy, family responsibility, and state intervention—remains underexplored. This paper proposes a human-centered ethical framework that views reproductive health not merely as a medical or demographic issue but as a matter of human dignity, rights, and moral responsibility. Drawing on classical philosophy, contemporary bioethics, and socio-political theory, it addresses three key questions: whether reproductive health is primarily a private or family-centered concern, highlighting parental responsibility and intergenerational ethics; the ethical grounds for state involvement in promoting equitable reproductive care and social well-being; and the development of an integrative framework that reconciles individual autonomy with communal moral obligations. By examining the evolution of reproductive rights, tensions between private freedom and public interest, and challenges posed by technological advances, the paper reframes reproductive health as a shared moral responsibility, bridging personal autonomy with familial, intergenerational, and societal ethics.
