Editing Compulsory sterilization (section)

{{Short description|Sterilization effected by government coercion}}
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'''Compulsory sterilization''', also known as '''forced''' or '''coerced sterilization''', refers to any government-mandated program to [[Involuntary treatment|involuntarily]] [[Sterilization (medicine)|sterilize]] a specific group of people. Sterilization removes a person's capacity to reproduce, and is usually done by surgical or [[Chemical castration|chemical]] means.  

Purported justifications for compulsory sterilization have included [[Human population planning|population control]], [[eugenics]], limiting the spread of [[HIV]], and [[genocide|ethnic genocide]].  

'''Forced sterilization''' can also occur as a form of [[Racial discrimination|racial discrimination.]] While not always mandated by law ([[de jure]]), there are cases where forced sterilization has occurred in practice ([[de facto]]). This distinction highlights the difference between official policies and actual implementation, where [[Coercion|coerced]] sterilization take place even without explicit legal authorization.  

Several countries implemented sterilization programs in the early 20th century.<ref>Webster University, Forced Sterilization. Retrieved on 30 August 2014. {{cite web|url=http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/forcedsterilization.html|title=Women and Global Human Rights|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907114059/http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/forcedsterilization.html|archive-date=2015-09-07|access-date=2016-10-29}}</ref> Although such programs have been made illegal in much of the world, instances of forced or coerced sterilizations still persist.