Gender, Communications and reproductive health in international development (original) (raw)
The need to make a concrete connection between human rights and women’s rights is ironic considering that one half of humanity is female. Gender inequality is the most pressing contemporary human rights issue, including disparities in education, employment, healthcare, power and decision-making, violence, and poverty that impact billions of women and girls from every part of the world throughout their lifetime (UN Statistical Division, 2010; UNWomen, 2011a). Despite a long and documented history of virtual “gendercide” against women and girls, this disparity has been treated as non-existent or ignored or, if acknowledged, regarded as unimportant or insignificant by the global community. Led by the United Nations (UN), there is a growing global human rights effort to redress deeply rooted gender inequality. This paper will focus on sexual and reproductive health, examining both the extent of the problem and exploring some real and potential solutions. Specific topics addressed include an overview of gender-based inequality, female reproductive justice and healthcare, a brief history of women's health rights, the UN human rights framework, current global human rights initiatives focused on women, and action taken by women human rights defenders.
Reproductive Health Matters An international journal on sexual and reproductive health and rights
2017
The Reproductive Health Working Group (RHWG) was established in 1988 in Cairo to advance research in the Arab countries and Turkey on the health of women, broadly defined. The paper considers the ways in which the group contributed to global health conversations through three examples of interdisciplinary research that, in privileging local contexts, modified or even challenged prevailing approaches to health and often raised entirely new issues for consideration. The three examples cited in the paper are: (i) the network’s early research on reproductive morbidity; (ii) a broad set of ongoing studies on childbirth/maternal health; and (iii) emerging research on health and conflict. The paper discusses how the RHWG has strengthened research capability in the region, and explores the reasons for the longevity of this research network. DOI: 10.1080/09688080.2017.1379864
Global public health, 2015
The papers and commentaries in this special issue illuminate progress made by low- and middle-income countries towards implementation of the Programme of Action (PoA) agreed by 179 countries during the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994. The PoA presents a path-breaking sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) framework for global and national population and health policies. While progress towards implementation has been made at global, regional and national levels, continuing and new challenges require that high priority be given to SRHR for all, particularly women and girls, during the remaining months of the millennium development goals and in the United Nations post-2015 development agenda. This paper highlights three critical gaps, raised in other papers: inequalities in access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services; the widespread need to improve SRH services to meet public health, human rights and medical ...
November, 2020
Women in developing and developed countries can still suffer from constraints on their ability to exercise their reproductive rights, being subject to gendered norms and forms of control over their bodies and encountering various difficulties to accessing healthcare services. Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) thus continue to matter for the advancement of gender equality, whilst communications when strategically used can shape support for progressive policies. This project seeks to advance research on gender development and advocacy communications for social change. A core question asked here is how can communications be better used for advocacy on SRHR? Making use of a mixed methods approach, this research engages with a sample of 52 feminist and health NGOs, located in both the North and the South. In depth interviews with gender experts from the organizations were combined with a survey applied to the communication professionals, followed by content and discourse analysis of their institutional websites and social media engagement. This paper provides a condensed examination of the early research findings and core theoretical frameworks, arguing over the need to deconstruct discourses around SRHR under challenging times and concluding that NGOs need better communication strategies and practices in their advocacy communication efforts.
Editorial: Reproductive Health and Rights and the Quest for Social Justice
Development, 1999
This issue focuses on reproductive rights and health as a contribution to the Cairo +5 process that is reviewing the impact, achievements and goals set by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, September 1994. As the first issue of volume 42, the discussion on reproductive rights and health brings to the fore human centred and gender aware challenges to development policies grappling with the impact of globalization and economic crises.
Editorial: The Reproductive Health and Rights Agenda Under Attack
Development, 2003
The reproductive rights and health agenda negotiated through agreements made at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), in 1994 and at the five-year review in 1999, is undeniably under attack in the uneasy world of 2003. There are a number of common explanations offered for why. The first is that there is just not enough money. Stringent economic policies imposed by the global economic order are not concurrent with the recommendations of the ICPD and other instruments that aim to put in place a pro-people health policy. Then there are issues around governance. Wavering democratic systems in many countries fail to provide the robust institutions to ensure promises are kept and local needs heard and respected. Then there is the concern about the growing uncontrollability of the unwieldy globalized world. The commodification of sexuality -in advertising, on the Internet, the trafficking in women and girls, the spread of HIV and AIDS -are among the disturbing features highlighted by the press and others that explain the undermining of the reproductive health and rights agenda.
Reproductive Rights and Health Movements
Development, 2005
This issue of Window on theWorld surveys a selection of international, regional and national organizations engaged in promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights and economic justice. Advocacy, research and policy-making initiatives are highlighted and website links provided for readers who want to investigate or engage more deeply.
Reproductive rights approach to reproductive health in developing countries
Global Health Action, 2011
Background: Research on reproductive health in developing countries focuses mostly on the role of economic development on various components of reproductive health. Cross-sectional and empirical research studies in particular on the effects of non-economic factors such as reproductive rights remain few and far between.
Background: Research on reproductive health in developing countries focuses mostly on the role of economic development on various components of reproductive health. Cross-sectional and empirical research studies in particular on the effects of non-economic factors such as reproductive rights remain few and far between. Objective: This study investigates the influence of two components of an empowerment strategy, gender equality, and reproductive rights on women’s reproductive health in developing countries. The empowerment strategy for improving reproductive health is theoretically situated on a number of background factors such as economic and social development. Design: Cross-national socioeconomic and demographic data from a number of international organizations on 142 developing countries are used to test a model of reproductive rights and reproductive health. Results: The findings suggest that both economic and democratic development have significant positive effects on levels ...
BMJ Global Health, 2021
IntroductionThe initial International Conference on Population and Development in 1994 contains the first reference to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights (SRHR). It has been considered agreed language on SRHR in future United Nations (UN) documents. However, opposition to SRHR in global forums has increased, including in conjunction with an increase in religious, far-right populist politics. This study provides an empirical analysis of UN documents to discover whether opposition to SRHR has resulted in changes in the language on SRHR between and what these changes are.MethodsThis is a qualitative policy analysis in which 14 UN resolutions, 6 outcome documents from the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and 522 country and group statements and 5 outcome reports from the Commission on Population and Development were collected from the organisations websites from 2014 to 2019. Framework analysis was used. The text from documents was charted and indexed and them...
Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) has been identified by Amnesty International as an important human rights issue, that not only comprises pregnancy/antenatal, childbirth and post delivery/natal but also refers to: “A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system”. Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHRs) were first recognised and included in the agenda of the Vienna 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, followed by the Cairo 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), and the Beijing Conference in 1995. After many years of debate and negotiation, the UN members agreed on universal access to SRHRs without discrimination and violence. In 2015, SRHRs were highlighted in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 with particular focus on SRH improvement in low-income and conflict-affected countries. Twenty-four years of global efforts have had a significant impact on improving women’s health and well-being in many countries. However sensitivity and controversy in many countries, particularly where people strongly value their cultural, traditional and religious beliefs, have made the acceptance of SRHRs difficult. These difficulties are exacerbated by the absence of male sexual health on the agenda of the UN in terms of SRHRs. There can be no one solution, or even a series of technical solutions, to such complex issues. There is a strong possibility that the world may achieve the 2030 SDG 5 targets if all governments, particularly low-income and conflict-affected countries, identify factors that impact on SRHRs outcomes, adopt suitably modified SRH policies and programmes, ensure such policies and programmes are suitably funded and governed, and recognise men’s sexual health needs because sexual health for males and females is inextricably intertwined.
American Journal of Public Health, 2010
Sexual and reproductive health remains the contentious concept it was at the 1994 United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo, Egypt. In light of the recent 15-year review of ICPD, we suggest several areas where advocates, practitioners, and researchers can inform future progress for sexual and reproductive health. These include the following: improving measurement and accountability related to the evidence base for sexual and reproductive health, indicators of program success, and the tracking of resource flows; creating and renewing alliances to strengthen advocacy; and employing new resource mobilization strategies. Given the 20-year goals established at ICPD, now is the time to move toward finally achieving the sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda.
Bulletin of The World Health Organization, 2010
This paper describes the development of a tool that uses human rights concepts and methods to improve relevant laws, regulations and policies related to sexual and reproductive health. This tool aims to improve awareness and understanding of States' human rights obligations. It includes a method for systematically examining the status of vulnerable groups, involving non-health sectors, fostering a genuine process of civil society participation and developing recommendations to address regulatory and policy barriers to sexual and reproductive health with a clear assignment of responsibility. Strong leadership from the ministry of health, with support from the World Health Organization or other international partners, and the serious engagement of all involved in this process can strengthen the links between human rights and sexual and reproductive health, and contribute to national achievement of the highest attainable standard of health.
Reproductive Health and Rights
Encyclopeida of World Poverty, 2nd Edition, 2015
This encyclopedia entry introduces the concept of reproductive health and rights. The article discusses the history of institutionalization of the concept, it's conceptualization, current world status on reproductive health and rights, and the relation between reproductive health and rights and poverty.