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Gender and Rights in Reproductive Health: A Research and Capacity Building Initiative for Francophone Countries

Annual Call for Projects 2004

Summary

In this project, approved by the Geneva International Academic Network (RUIG-GIAN) in 2004, the Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS) and the Department of Reproductive Health and Research of the World Health Organization (WHO/RHR) will work in partnership to undertake research on gendered aspects of sexual behaviour of young men and women. There are serious gaps in knowledge with regard to the gender dynamics of sexual behaviour in young people, particularly in Francophone Africa. In order to develop educational materials and approaches for the region, more research is therefore needed.

The socio-cultural, economic and political context that prevails in much of Francophone Africa continues to limit accessibility and availability of reproductive health information and services, particularly for adolescents. Lack of information on sexual and reproductive health is especially acute and increases the risk of sexual coercion, early sexual activity, unsafe abortions, school drop-out rates, teenage pregnancy and teen motherhood rates as well as rapid spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS. Harmful traditional practices still persist in many parts of Francophone Africa. Forced marriage is still prevalent and female genital mutilation continues to be widely practised, in spite of laws prohibiting the practice in several countries in the region. Violence against women is still regarded as normal in many Francophone African countries.

The barriers to sexual and reproductive health for young people have been well documented. However, there are serious gaps in knowledge with regard to the gender dynamics of sexual behaviour in young people, particularly in Francophone Africa, where very little is known. This means that educational materials and approaches that exist are likely not grounded in evidence. Thus, there is a need to conduct research in this area in order for the findings to be used for educational purposes for many groups (adolescents, health programme managers; policy makers).

Among the main barriers to ensuring gender equality is the denial of adolescents' sexuality and their need for information and services. In particular, girls are often not in a position to refuse sexual relationships. Young girls may find themselves in an inferior position not only to males of their own age group, but also with regard to older men. This complex gender dynamic, fomented by a serious lack of information, has severe consequences including unwanted pregnancy, untreated STIs and HIV/AIDS. These in turn may contribute to deepening the inequalities between young women and men.

The design of the project will be ethnographic and qualitative. Alongside more participatory methods of data-collection (informal discussions and participant observation), interviews will be conducted. The project will unfold in several steps: ethnographic field research on gendered aspects of sexual behaviour (negotiating safe sex and premarital sex; the prevention of STIs and HIV/AIDS and the construction of masculinities). The project aims to combine empirical research conducted by GIDS and partners from Francophone Africa, with capacity building. The empirical research will be backed by desk reviews on gender and rights issues related to reproductive and sexual health in Francophone Africa, conducted by the team of WHO.

In order for health services and health providers to be able to give gender-sensitive and rights-based care especially for young people, there is an urgent need for context-specific training materials to be developed in French. Research findings on gender dynamics of sexual behaviour in young people could be used as an important input for such an adaptation. In particular, the training initiative on gender and rights in reproductive health, elaborated by WHO, which continues to be run successfully in many parts of the world, has not yet been adapted and run in Francophone Africa.

The following products are expected to result from the project:

• Articles in peer-reviewed, international scientific journals authored by the research team members;

• Publication of a French adapted training manual on gender and rights in reproductive health for use with policy makers and health programme managers;

• A one-week field testing / adaptation workshop for trainers in Geneva;

• A two-week regional training course for health programme managers, health researchers and planners for Francophone Africa;

• Formulation of a training module on gender and rights for students at GIDS (Master and Distant Diploma in Development).

The grant provided by the GIAN for this project totals SFr 255,000

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Project Team

Prof. Fenneke Reysoo , Coordinator, Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS) .

Ms Laurence Althaus , Principal Member, Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS) .

Ms Jane Cottingham , Principal Member, Gender , World Health Organization (WHO) .

Ms Françoise Grange , Principal Member, Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS) .

Ms Maïmouna Ndoye , Principal Member, Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS) .

Ms Séverine Rey , Principal Member, Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS) .

Related Links

> GIDS - Gendre and Rights in Reproductive Health

> http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/gender/fr/training_africa.html

Related Conferences

Transactions about Bodies and Contemporary Strategies of Lovers – International Gender Colloquium, GIDS / IUED, 11 and 12 October 2007
The debates will focus on femininities and masculinities of a youth in transition in the age of globalisation. The...
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