This article is concerned with the lack of integrated healthcare services for expectant mothers in developing nations. For example, mothers-to-be have may have to visit up to five different healthcare providers for services that could be provided by one clinic. The article identifies the need for women to take control of their own bodies and for their choices to be respected as the main issue facing maternal health in the world's poorest countries. Women should be able to decide when to have children, how often to have children and if they want children at all. The article also argues for empowering young women to pursue whatever life they choose for themselves, noting that a woman should be more than just a ‘baby factory’ but should also be able to pursue a career and other options. Reducing maternal mortality requires the unmet needs for family planning and reproductive health to be addressed alongside the other unmet needs of pregnant women. The article expresses disappointment that, at the 2010 Women Deliver Conference, held from 7–9 June 2010 in the United States, there was little talk of the millions of vulnerable and marginalised adolescent girls who are failing to access reproductive and maternal services. Whether this inequality is to be addressed or entrenched was apparently unclear from the Conference’s discussions.
Values, Policies and Rights
This piece provides information on the civil society solidarity with three HIV-positive women in Namibia who are claiming compensation for alleged sterilisation without informed consent. The women are each suing the Ministry of Health and Social Services for alleged violation of their right to dignity, to non-discrimination and to found a family. A petition on the issue, signed by more than 1,000 people from Namibia and around the world, was handed to the Ministry of Health and Social Services. The petition demands that, amongst other things, the Ministry of Health and Social Services issue a circular to both the public and private health facilities explicitly prohibiting the practice of sterilisation without informed consent.
Health has long been intertwined with the foreign policies of states. In recent years, however, global health issues have risen to the highest levels of international politics and have become accepted as legitimate issues in foreign policy. This elevated political priority is in many ways a welcome development for proponents of global health, and it has resulted in increased funding for and attention to select global health issues. However, this paper argues that there has been less examination of the tensions that characterise the relationship between global health and foreign policy and of the potential effects of linking global health efforts with the foreign policy interests of states. The paper reviews the relationship between global health and foreign policy by examining the roles of health across four major components of foreign policy: aid, trade, diplomacy and national security. For each of these aspects of foreign policy, the paper reviews current and historical issues and discuss how foreign policy interests have aided or impeded global health efforts. The increasing relevance of global health to foreign policy holds both opportunities and dangers for global efforts to improve health.
As the G8 Summit comes to a close, international agency Oxfam criticized the leaders for their failure to deliver on their promises and for trying to divert attention by cobbling together a small initiative for maternal and child health. “No maple leaf is big enough to hide the shame of Canada’s summit of broken promises,” said Mark Fried, spokesperson for Oxfam. “The G8’s failure will leave a sad legacy of kids out of school, denied medicines for the sick, and no food for the hungry.” With total G8 aid frozen, their five billion dollar commitment to maternal health will likely be taken from vital areas such as education and food, cautioned Oxfam. Oxfam also urged the G20 to adopt a financial transaction tax to raise the funds necessary to fight poverty and climate change.
This statement was made by parliamentarians who attended the Women Deliver Conference, which was held from 7–9 June in Washington, DC, United States. The statement addresses a number of areas: creating laws and policies with and for women and girls; giving women and girls their fair share of funding (budget and oversight responsibilities); advocating for a women’s and girl’s agenda everywhere by advancing Millennium Development Goal 5 locally, nationally, regionally and globally; and raising awareness and building knowledge on women’s and girls’ issues. The Parliamentarians pledge to carry out these actions and to systematically and actively monitor their progress. They commit to communicate the results achieved in working with their respective authorities and work in close co-operation with civil society and other key stakeholders to support national action plans to be presented during the United Nations High Level Review meeting on the Millennium Development Goals.
This resolution from the World Health Assembly calls on member states to implement recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children, while taking into account existing legislation and policies, as appropriate. Governments should identify the most suitable policy approach and develop new policies and strengthen existing policies that aim to reduce the impact of marketing unhealthy foods on children, as well as to establish a system for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children. They should take active steps to establish intergovernmental collaboration to reduce the impact of cross-border marketing and co-operate with civil society and with public and private stakeholders in implementing the set of recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children.
In this open letter, the Solidarity Community Care Organisation condemns the sterilisation of HIV-positive women without their consent in Namibia as discriminatory. It identifies other forms of discrimination against HIV-positive Namibians, such as a medical aid scheme that accepts HIV-positive clients who are on anti-retroviral therapy, while excluding those who are not. The Solidarity Community Care Organisation urges all HIV-positive persons in the country to unite and fight for their rights while fulfilling their obligations, such as restraining from spreading the virus. It also calls for all HIV-positive Namibians to denounce all forms of discrimination wherever they manifest themselves in Namibia.
The World Health Organisation Secretariat has produced a draft strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol through an inclusive and broad collaborative process with stakeholders in member states. The draft strategy is based on existing best practices and available evidence on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of strategies and interventions to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The document describes the strategy, which includes: increasing global action and international cooperation; ensuring intersectoral action; according appropriate attention; balancing different interests; focusing on equity; considering context in recommending actions; and strengthening information systems.
This report provides an analysis of research on cases of sterilisation of HIV positive women in Namibia. A series of focus groups and interviews produced evidence that the authors report suggesting that a number of HIV positive women were being forced into sterilisation by hospital staff. The research was conducted between 21 January 2008 and 22 of April 2008 with a total of 230 HIV positive women. Women participated in focus groups and interviews about their experiences. The analysis takes a rights-based approach and presents a detailed account of Namibia’s obligations under international and regional human rights law. The evidence from the focus groups is argued to indicate that these rights have been violated. The report uncovered many types of discrimination against HIV-positive mothers, such as being coerced into using injectable contraceptives, failure to obtain consent for sterilisation and obtaining consent under duress. The authors call on all relevant parties, especially the Ministries of Health and Justice, address this violation of human rights immediately.
Much to the frustration of gender activists, Swaziland's Supreme Court has reversed a February 2010 High Court ruling that allowed a married woman to register property in her own name. Activist Mary-Joyce Doo Aphane wished to register a house in her own name and challenged the country's 1968 Deeds Registry Act. She was granted a High Court order declaring the section unconstitutional. Yet three months later, the Supreme Court suppressed the High Court judgment. Although the Constitution grants men and women equal rights, in practice the old laws on the statute books still define gender relations in this absolute monarchy. According to the authors, not having property rights means many women are not able to leave abusive husbands because it would mean they have nowhere to live, no money and no family support. The Attorney General's office, which drafts legislation for parliamentary consideration, would not comment on its timeframe for revising the property law, and most gender activists remain sceptical that the deadline set by the Supreme Court will be met by parliament.