The clinic as a gendered space: Masculinities, health seeking behaviour and HIV & AIDS

Written by Hanlie Myburgh

Many studies find that men visit public health care facilities much less frequently than do women,(2,3) which has some significance for the poor uptake of men in voluntary counselling and testing services (VCTs) for HIV. A number of explanations have been given for this phenomenon, some of which focus on constructions of masculinity as a barrier to seeking health care. This paper draws on a relatively unexamined reason for men’s lack of attendance in public health care facilities which resonate strongly with debates around masculinity: that men view the clinic as women’s space. As many clinics are run mainly by women, holding positions as nurses and counsellors, and are also primarily attended by women and children, men may find visiting the clinic cumbersome and embarrassing, as it challenges traditional and hegemonic notions of masculinity. This paper focuses on the particularities of masculinity and health seeking behaviour in an African context... [More]

AFRICAN SAME-SEX SEXUALITIES AND GENDER DIVERSITY: PRACTICES, IDENTITIES AND COMMUNITIES

First Announcement

International Conference on African Same-Sex Sexualities and Gender Diversity, to be held February 13 – 16, 2011 in Pretoria, South Africa.

Conference Mission: To identify and celebrate indigenous and evolving male, female and/or gender variant same-sex sexual practices, identities and communities, including expressions of gender diversity, and to promote their social acceptance and their physical and social well-being.
Primary target group: Persons knowledgeable about or scholarly engaged in the study of same-sex practices, identities, and communities from a liberating or emancipatory perspective (persons from Sub-Saharan Africa are encouraged to attend), sexual rights advocates, and persons from Sub-Saharan Africa engaged in the artistic expression of gender and same-sex sexuality issues.|

Call for abstract submission will be released soon.
The conference is a joint initiative of the following organizations: AMSHeR (African Men for Sexual Health and Rights), Behind the Mask (South Africa), GALCK (Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya; Kenya), Gender DynamiX (South Africa), HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies (New York), Hivos (Netherlands, main sponsor), Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC; South Africa), Humure (Burundi), International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (ILGHRC), Oxfam, UNDP (Southern & Eastern Africa).

 

Thanks to Fareeda Jadwat for this.

STOP RWANDA'S PROPOSALS TO CRIMINALISE HOMOSEXUALITY
Horizon Community Association
Horizon Community Association (HOCA), an LGBTI organisation in Rwanda, in collaboration with the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL) and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) calls on all human rights defenders, organisations, governments, civil society, globally, to immediately take action against a proposed article in the draft Penal
Code Act in Rwanda which would criminalise homosexuality. The Lower House of the Rwandan Parliament will hold its final debate on this draft code Wednesday 16 December 2009. A vote on this draft code will occur before the end of this week.
http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/action/61081

This downloadable (free) paper presents data from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda. The target group of about 20,000 adolescents in the target countries were surveyed, and there were focus groups and interviews with young people, parents, teachers and health care providers. See DG Communities for a review of the paper.

Preventing HIV and Unintended Pregnancy in Africa  by Ann E. Biddlecom, Laura Hessburg, Susheela Singh, Akinrinola Bankole and Leila Darabi. Guttmacher Institute.

 

Data sources

• The 2004 National Survey of Adolescents
• Macro International, United States
• Institut National de la Statistique et de la Démographie,Burkina Faso
• Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, Ghana
• National Statistical Office, Malawi
• Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

How to get a copy

Download the  full text (pdf 3.8mb)

 

Thanks to Ingrid Thomson for this.

FEATURES
- SOAWR calls for AU to secure women's rights in Africa
- Hilary N. Ervin & Caroline Muthoni Muriithi on what the global downturn means for women's rights in Africa
- Norah Matovu Winyi calls for the AU to implement the African Women's Rights Protocol
- Lyn Ossome on promoting women's rights at the 13th AU Summit
- Mary Wandia argues that securing women's rights will boost food security and economic growth
- Anushka Sehmi on the need to protect the rights of elderly women

Pambazuka News No. 439.

Iron ladies of Liberia
This site provides access to materials supporting a PBS documentary on the political career of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who was elected first woman president of Liberia in 2006. The site includes some film clips, plus biographical information about Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a timeline of Liberian political history, maps, and some links to classroom resources for teachers. technical and copyright information is displayed on the website. From Intute.ac.uk
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/ironladies/

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is committed to working with local, regional and international partners to fight human rights abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity worldwide. In mid-2007, IGLHRC opened a regional office for Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, to more effectively manage its operations on the continent and to build partnerships with African LGBT and human rights organizations. The Africa Program Coordinator will manage this office and IGLHRC's Africa program.

The Africa Regional Office researches and monitors human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, convenes trainings and strategy meetings to promote decriminalization of homosexuality, advocates for legal protections for LGBT people, and works for an end to anti-LGBT violence and discrimination. The Coordinator will manage a staff of 3--two Program Associates and an administrative officer.

The successful candidate will have evidence of a commitment to working for social justice in Africa. The position requires at least three years of practical experience working within the human rights field in Africa. The successful candidate will hold a Masters, Honours, or similar degree.  Fluency in English and at least one other relevant language is required. Substantial experience in proposal development, project and fiscal management, project monitoring, evaluation and reporting is required. A commitment to partnerships and leadership development is a must.

IGLHRC will begin reviewing applicants on February 20, 2009 and continue until a suitable candidate is identified. E-mail cover letter outlining your specific skills and experience relative to the position and a current CV to bchapman@iglhrc.org. Please put the words "Africa Program Coordinator" in the subject line.  Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. IGLHRC is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and multicultural work environment.

Thanks to Fareeda Jadwat for this information

In the context of this year's 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence and in the lead-up to negotiations on the mandate renewal for MONUC, UN Action has released a statement on sexual violence as a tactic of war in the renewed conflict in Eastern DRC.

This statement has been drafted in consultation with Nicola Dahrendorf, UN Action Senior Adviser and Coordinator on Sexual Violence in MONUC, and endorsed by all 12 UN Action members (DPA, DPKO, OCHA, OHCHR, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIFEM, WFP and WHO). UN_Action_StatementDRC FINAL (5).pdf

The statement can also be found at:
http://www.stoprapenow.org/16days.html

Thanks to Fareeda Jadwat for this information.

A report of the Executive Director of the UN Population Fund on UN Population Award 2008 has been issued (A/63/255). This year the award was given to Damme Billie Miller of Barbados in recognition of her achievements in the area of gender, sexual and reproductive health, and to Family Care International of the United States in recognition of its achievements in building a global platform and partnership to end the maternal mortality and in providing assistance for women at risk in developing countries, particularly in Africa (Press-release).
About the Award, Previously in UN Pulse.

UN Pulse: Permanent Link: UN Population Award 2008

GENDER T.I.D.E Project (Gendering Training for Information and Documentation Experts)
GENDER T.I.D.E aims to "assess new training methodologies for information and documentation specialists working in women’s centres (adult education training institutions, women’s documentation centres, libraries, civil associations, national and international NGO’s, etc.)." Gender TIDE creates partnerships with a view for forming a European forum of exchange of experiences and good practices, and an online good practice guide has been produced to incorporate this information. The Web site provides a list of partners. Intute.ac.uk
http://www.women.it/gendertide/

Feminist Africa 9, 2007 - Rethinking Universities II

Partial contents: 

Feature Articles

Sewing machines and computers? Seeing gender in institutional and intellectual cultures at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal
– by Aminata Diaw 
Lost in liberalism: A case study of the disappearance of the gender agenda at a South African university
– by Lesley Shackleton 

“Feeling the disconnect”: Teaching sexualities and gender in South African higher education
– by Jane Bennett and Vasu Reddy

Challenging gender inequality in higher education: Attitudes and perceptions of teaching staff and administrators at the University of Buea, Cameroon
– by Joyce B. Mbongo Endeley and Margaret Nchang Ngaling

Profiles
Trajectory of the Institute of Gender Studies at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia - by Emebet Mulugeta -

“Reclaiming the P...Word”: a reflection on an original feminist drama production at the University of the Western Cape
– by Mary Hames -

 

Permalink Docuticker

3rd Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights  - 4 to 7 February 2008  Abuja, Nigeria

Action Health Incorporated, under the auspices of the African Federation for Sexual Health and Rights, is pleased to announce the third regional conference on Sexual Health and Rights, to take place at the International Conference Center, Abuja, on February 4^th – 7^th 2008.  The conference will bring together key actors in the field of Sexual Health and Rights to explore how sexuality has affected and can improve development in Africa, especially when working with women and youth. 

Participants, speakers, and sponsors will represent the media, academia, civil society organizations, government agencies, development partners, faith based organizations, regional and sub-regional bodies in Africa and international agencies.  The conference is interested in engaging participants, especially youth and women, in active discussion of the issue of sexuality and its intersection with poverty and accountability on the African continent.  As stakeholders in sexual health and rights, participants should come prepared to listen, speak, engage, and form alliances to promote their own health and rights as well as that of others. 

The conference will consist of plenary sessions, skills building activities, symposia, roundtables, poster presentations and exhibitions.  The following sub themes will be explored:

• • Adolescent and Youth Sexuality
  • Women’s Sexuality
  • Family Planning and Reproductive Health
  • HIV/AIDS and Sexuality
  • Sexuality and Religion
  • Sexual Abuse and Gender Based Violence
  • Culture, Media and Arts
  • Sexuality and Knowledge Management 
  • (Im)Mobility and Sexuality
  • Sexuality and the Law

The Congress will help explore how sexual health and rights are key to achieving some of the Millennium Development Goals, and in identifying the Sexual Health Goals for Africa.  The Congress will explore all the perspectives of Sexual Health including physiological, psychological, cultural, political, legal and jurisdictional, historical, religious, educational and medical.

A special youth summit will hold on the 3^rd of February, 2008, at the conference venue.  Interested participants who are 24 years of age and younger should contact the conference coordinator for details.

Parties interested in participating in the 3^rd Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights should register via the conference website at www.africasexuality.org/registration/register.html.  The fee for registration is USD 100.  The conference organizing committee regrets that it cannot offer scholarships or financial assistance for this conference.  Any questions about participation should be sent to the conference coordinator at:

The Conference Coordinator
c/o Action Health Incorporated
17 Lawal Street, off Oweh Street, Jibowu.
P.O. Box 803 Sabo Yaba
Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: +234 1 774 3745, 7919307
Email: conference@actionhealthinc.org

 

Thanks to Fareeda Jadwat for this information. 

"I started writing Black Looks back in June 2004 after a number of abandoned blog attempts under different names. At the time I only had a broad idea that I wanted to primarily focus on anything to do with African Women - a very broad term for a whole continent - and the African Diaspora that is socially, politically, racially, culturally, ethnically and sexually diverse. I also wanted to look at human rights, to challenge stereotypes and discuss issues such as gender, sexuality and racism and how these are constructed and manipulated by culture. These are areas that can make people feel uncomfortable because they reach to our core. They often reveal the hidden truths deep within ourselves. Talking about racism and ethnicity and sexuality can be threatening because they require people to consider the possibility that they may have racist or homophobic feelings and attitudes.

I have chosen to write about a range of issues that I have experienced directly or indirectly in my offline life such as gender violence, racism, sexuality, HIV/AIDS and cancer. I view the world as moving further and further to the right with American hegemony contaminating the global space. I wanted to write from a radical and progressive standpoint challenging not only the right but also the liberal community, the so capitalism with a friendly face which is an oxymoron to say the least.

Maintaining the Black Looks project has become a greater challenge involving more and more of time than I can possibly commit to unless I give up paid work altogether. In November, I therefore asked three other African bloggers and one African American to join me in contributing to Black Looks on a regular basis. In addition, Del Hornbuckle, Cherynne Carayan and Andile Mngxitama will contribute from time to time.

It was never my intention for Black Looks to be or become a group blog but that is how it has turned out and I believe it to be a positive development and I thank all the contributors for wanting to participate. Some have their own blogs, some do not. But we do have in common is we are all progressives, Africanists and activists with a strong belief in the power of the pen to bring about change."