The BBC reports that in March a man in China became the first to file a lawsuit under a new law in that country that guarantees both men and women equal say in having children.
As part of its extreme family planning policies, China approved a law that makes both spouses in a marriage equally responsible for family planning decisions. In this case, a man his wife because she aborted her pregnancy despite his desire to see her carry the pregnancy to term.
The law was apparently passed due to concern that the brunt of enforcement of China’s one-child policy was falling largely on women. Health experts called on men to take more active of a role, and the government responded with a law granting men and women equal legal status in making decisions about when to have children.
The BBC reports that a Chinese court recommended that the man’s lawsuit be allowed to proceed.
Chinese man sues wife over abortion. Vickie Maximova, The BBC, March 20, 2002.