Reflecting on adolescents’ evolving sexual and reproductive health rights: canvassing the opinion of social workers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
This study explored the perspectives and practices of 17 social workers from KwaZulu-Natal on legislation relevant to adolescents’ evolving sexual and reproductive health and rights and the decriminalisation of consensual underage sex. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 15, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Zaynab Essack, Jacintha Toohey, Ann Strode Tags: ISSUES IN CURRENT POLICY Source Type: research
Female Genital Mutilation in Kenya: are young men allies in social change programmes?
The Girl Summit held in 2014 aimed to mobilise greater effort to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) within a generation, building on a global movement which viewed the practice as a severe form of violence against women and girls and a violation of their rights. The UN, among others, endorse “comprehensive” strategies to end FGM, including legalistic measures, social protection and social communications. FGM is a sensitive issue and difficult to research, and rapid ethnographic methods can use existing relations of trust within social networks to explore attitudes towards predominan t social norms which posit FGM as a...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 12, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Eleanor Brown, Faith Mwangi-Powell, Miriam Jerotich, Victoria le May Tags: FEATURE Source Type: research
Female Genital Mutilation in Kenya: are young men allies in social change programmes?
The Girl Summit held in 2014 aimed to mobilise greater effort to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) within a generation, building on a global movement which viewed the practice as a severe form of violence against women and girls and a violation of their rights. The UN, among others, endorse “comprehensive” strategies to end FGM, including legalistic measures, social protection and social communications. FGM is a sensitive issue and difficult to research, and rapid ethnographic methods can use existing relations of trust within social networks to explore attitudes towards predominant social norms which posit FGM as a ...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 12, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Eleanor Brown, Faith Mwangi-Powell, Miriam Jerotich, Victoria le May Tags: FEATURE Source Type: research
The human rights of intersex people: addressing harmful practices and rhetoric of change
Intersex people and bodies have been considered incapable of integration into society. Medical interventions on often healthy bodies remain the norm, addressing perceived familial and cultural demands, despite concerns about necessity, outcomes, conduct and consent.A global and decentralised intersex movement pursues simple core goals: the rights to bodily autonomy and self-determination, and an end to stigmatisation. The international human rights system is responding with an array of new policy statements from human rights institutions and a handful of national governments recognising the rights of intersex people. (Sour...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 10, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Morgan Carpenter Tags: Commentary Source Type: research
Creating social norm change to prevent VAW and HIV: a programmatic perspective from Uganda
There has been an increased emphasis on evidence based programming for violence prevention in recent years, although research on what works to prevent violence is still an emerging field. There are also important lessons emerging from practice. The experience of Raising Voices in Uganda is that using community mobilization programming can help to shift entrenched norms, attitudes and behaviours. A recent randomised control trial evidenced some of these changes and whilst this research has been key to developing the approach, it is also essential that we continue to be informed by the voices of community members and activis...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - June 19, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Katy Chadwick Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
Gendered pattern of burn injuries in India: a neglected health issue
There are an estimated 7 million burn injuries in India annually, of which 700,000 require hospital admission and 140,000 are fatal. According to the National Burns Programme, 91,000 of these deaths are women; a figure higher than that for maternal mortality. Women of child bearing age are on average three times more likely than men to die of burn injuries. This paper reviews the existing literature on burn injuries in India and raises pertinent issues about prevalence, causes and gaps in recognising the gendered factors leading to a high number of women dying due to burns. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - June 7, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Padma Bhate-Deosthali, Lakshmi Lingam Tags: COMMENTARY Source Type: research
Gendered pattern of burn injuries in India: a neglected health issue
There are an estimated 7 million burn injuries in India annually, of which 700,000 require hospital admission and 140,000 are fatal. 91,000 of these deaths are women; a figure higher than that for maternal mortality. Women of child bearing age are on average three times more likely than men to die of burn injuries. This paper reviews the existing literature on burn injuries in India and raises pertinent issues about prevalence, causes and gaps in recognising the gendered factors leading to a high number of women dying due to burns. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - June 7, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Padma Bhate-Deosthali, Lakshmi Lingam Tags: COMMENTARY Source Type: research
Sexual and gender-based violence against refugee women: a hidden aspect of the refugee "crisis"
The current refugee “crisis” in Europe has created multiple forms of vulnerability and insecurity for refugee women including various forms of sexual and gender-based violence. Increasing numbers of women, either alone or with family, are attempting to reach Europe to seek protection from conflict and violence in t heir countries, but these women are subject to violence during their journey and/or on arrival in a destination country. The lack of adequate accommodation or reception facilities for refugees and migrants in Europe, as well as the closure of borders which has increased the need for smugglers to hel p them r...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - June 6, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Jane Freedman Tags: Issues in Current Policy Source Type: research
Sexual and gender-based violence against refugee women: a hidden aspect of the refugee "crisis"
The current refugee “crisis” in Europe has created multiple forms of vulnerability and insecurity for refugee women including various forms of sexual and gender-based violence. Increasing numbers of women, either alone or with family, are attempting to reach Europe to seek protection from conflict and violence in their countries, but these women are subject to violence during their journey and/or on arrival in a destination country. The lack of adequate accommodation or reception facilities for refugees and migrants in Europe, as well as the closure of borders which has increased the need for smugglers to help them rea...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - June 6, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Jane Freedman Tags: Issues in Current Policy Source Type: research
Systemic violence against Syrian refugee women and the myth of effective intrapersonal interventions
Since the uprising in Syria in March 2011, over 4.3 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries. Over a million have sought refuge in Lebanon, constituting almost a quarter of the Lebanese population and becoming the largest refugee population per capita in the world.With inequitable health coverage being a longstanding problem in Lebanon, Syrian refugee women ’s health, and specifically their sexual and reproductive health, is disproportionately affected. An increase in gender-based violence and early marriage, a lack of access to emergency obstetric care, limited access to contraception, forced cesarean sections...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - June 5, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Rola Yasmine, Catherine Moughalian Tags: COMMENTARY Source Type: research
Systemic violence against Syrian refugee women and the myth of effective intrapersonal interventions
Since the uprising in Syria in March 2011, over 4.3 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries. Over a million have sought refuge in Lebanon, constituting almost a quarter of the Lebanese population and becoming the largest refugee population per capita in the world.With inequitable health coverage being a longstanding problem in Lebanon, Syrian refugee women’s health, and specifically their sexual and reproductive health, is disproportionately affected. An increase in gender-based violence and early marriage, a lack of access to emergency obstetric care, limited access to contraception, forced cesarean sections,...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - June 5, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Rola Yasmine, Catherine Moughalian Source Type: research
Moving beyond disrespect and abuse: addressing the structural dimensions of obstetric violence
During recent decades, a growing and preoccupying excess of medical interventions during childbirth, even in physiological and uncomplicated births, together with a concerning spread of abusive and disrespectful practices towards women during childbirth across the world, have been reported. Despite research and policy-making to address these problems, changing childbirth practices has proved to be difficult. We argue that the excessive rates of medical interventions and disrespect towards women during childbirth should be analysed as a consequence of structural violence, and that the concept of obstetric violence, as it is...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - June 3, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Michelle Sadler, M ário J.D.S. Santos, Dolores Ruiz-Berdún, Gonzalo Leiva Rojas, Elena Skoko, Patricia Gillen, Jette A. Clausen Tags: DISCUSSION Source Type: research
