The Gender Agenda

We had an interesting discussion after the speakers had finished presenting at the session, 4A, ‘Gender Norms: Correlates and Consequences.’

In response to the presentation on, ‘Sexual Harassment as a Reproductive Health Challenge for Female Nigerian Undergraduates,’ someone in the audience said that oftentimes females invite harassment by the way they dress. It was noteworthy that the session moderator, Bene Madunagu stated in no uncertain terms that nobody could possibly dictate how an individual chooses to dress and that cannot be used as an excuse to harass a female. She also mentioned that if that were the case, swimming pools would be rather unsafe places! The entire audience (will not comment on the gender distribution there!) applauded in consent!!

Commenting on Rajib Acharya’s presentation, ‘Adverse Health Outcomes of Physical and Sexual Violence Within Marriage: Experiences of Young Women in Maharashtra, India,’ someone in the audience said that it was counterintuitive to think of sexual experience within marriage as nonconsensual. Once again, the session chair, Margaret Greene emphasized that willingness for sex is as important within marriage as outside. She also explained that young married females are particularly vulnerable particularly in settings like India where gender power imbalances make violent behaviors from husbands acceptable and prevent negotiation among partners.

It is clear that as we work towards taking the agenda of reproductive and sexual health of youth forward, we need to examine our own attitudes and behaviors!

Jaya, MBBS, DrPH ’06, MPH ’01, received a dissertation grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health and now works with the Public Health Foundation of India

Pt. 2: Youth Perspectives

A group of vibrant, energetic young adolescents participated in the Conference. After running and playing in the halls, they were attentive and focused in the sessions – quite a feat for these 10 and 11 year olds. And to our pleasant surprise, they received awards for their artistic endeavors during the plenary. Their smiles and enthusiastic thank you’s helped remind us of how wonderful it is to be young… and young-at-heart.

Daniel, from Ondo State, and Emmanuel, Taiwo and Tobi, from Ogun State, were accompanied by Paschal Gozie Ezea from SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria and Ruth Ogo, John Omolaye and Michael Fasoro from UNFPA/Youth Action Initiative.

Photo: From L to R, Daniel, Emmanuel, Tobi, Ruth, Taiwo

Angela Bayer, MHS, PhD ‘08, recently completed her PhD in Population, Family and Reproductive Health at JHSPH.

Pt. 1: Youth Perspectives

A few youth participants from Nigeria were excited to share their perspectives on the Conference with us!! Obe Olajide and Kolapo Abidemi are both students of Dentistry in the Community Dental Health program at the University of Lagos. When asked about the lessons they’d learned at the conference, they responded…

Obe: “I’ve learned that communication is key. In Nigeria, sexuality can’t be spoken about in so many places... not with adults, not at church, hardly anywhere. But young people need the right information at the right time and from the right person. So we need to improve communication about sexuality. Adolescents shouldn’t fall victim to things like STIs, pregnancy and HIV because of lack of good information.”

Kolapo: “The conference was quite interesting. I learned that adolescent sex education is important. I really liked making art with condoms. Often, people see condoms and say ‘AAAHHH’… they feel ashamed, for example, if they see them in the market. I got to decorate a condom and now it looks nice. And now people will ask, they’ll want to know what’s there. I can explain it and they’ll feel more comfortable. It’s beautiful… I like it.”

Photo: Obe and Kolapo with friends (from L to R, Hussaini G Mohammed from Media Trust LTD Abuja, Obe, Ayodeji Adeyemo from UNFPA Abuja, Kolapo)

Angela Bayer, MHS, PhD ‘08, recently completed her PhD in Population, Family and Reproductive Health at JHSPH.

Media Training in Reproductive Health

The media was an integral component of the just concluded Youth Deliver the Future Conference held in Abuja Nigeria from the 27 - 29, 2008. It was a theatre of interaction between journalists, researchers, policy makers and general participants. The conference which had more than 650 registered participants from about 32 countries across the globe kicked off with a pre-conference training for journalists. Then there was the conference Newsletter developed by a team from the 11 journalists trained at an intensive 2-day training organized by Population Reference Bureau (PRB) in collaboration with Development Communications Network, Lagos. It had as trainers Erin Sines of the PRB, Akin Jimoh, Development Communications Network, and Josephine Kamara, Internews Network. There were a number of resource persons drawn from the conference participants. The Conference had a wide flavour of media presence drawn from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and some others representing different foreign media.

Nnenna Ike

Pt. 4: In Their Own Words: 4 Young People at the Abuja Conference

Haben Fecadu, 22
International Program Coordinator, Advocates for Youth
Washington D.C., USA

I came for the advocacy perspective. It is great to come here and learn all the empirical evidence that we can use in our advocacy. A lot of the presentations have to do with reproductive health and focus on young people. There are so many. At one panel I went to a woman presented on a slum in Nairobi, Kenya. They are doing work and including young people. It was backed up with empirical evidence, and it worked well. It really did involve young people doing work. It was a program for girls, and alumni would go and replicate what they learned. It was youth empowerment and it addressed the needs of females there. They formed groups and worked with schools to delay marriage. That was great, the fact they actually had positive results. This is something you can cite when you actually incorporate young people [who] were doing some of the work themselves.

[Researchers] are obviously trying to understand young people. You can’t really complain when they are making a huge effort in conferences like this and valuing our opinion and trying to make things as youth friendly as possible.

Interview by Brian W. Simpson, editor of Johns Hopkins Public Health magazine.

Pt. 3: In Their Own Words: 4 Young People at the Abuja Conference

Svenn Grant, 29
UNFPA Youth Ambassador
Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights
Trinidad

Research always informs our work as advocates. Any time someone does a piece of research, it gives us a means to justify our position for access to sex and reproductive health services for young people. We ensure young people are stakeholders and are represented in any kind of final document or statement that is made. We not only want to be served. We have to be a part of the creation of the policy, the implementation of the policy and the evaluation of the policy.

I look at things through an advocacy lens. There is still a role for young people to play in making things happen and being vigilant with the respect to their rights and achieving full recognition of their human rights and sexual and reproductive health rights in particular. African young people are very interested in advocacy and lobbying and start to work together. To have young people thinking about research and advocacy as well, that can be a plus.

I think the content of research that comes here can open people’s eyes. There is research on vulnerable groups and sex workers. They may not be here, but this paper says they have been touched in some way, that some program works and needs to be scaled up. And their stories are here and that makes them really valuable. We need to create a legacy.

Interview by Brian W. Simpson, editor of Johns Hopkins Public Health magazine.

Pt. 2: In Their Own Words: 4 Young People at the Abuja Conference

Ayodeji Adeyemo, 23
Action Group on Adolescent Health
Student, University of Ibadan
Nigeria

My organization is an action and advocacy group for sexual and reproductive health rights of young persons;. I just felt there is a need to make a difference in sexual and reproductive health. In Africa, a lot of young persons are being plagued by sexual health challenges like unattended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. In many parts of Nigeria, there are still gender inequities, which is the neglect of the girl child and making her less empowered. Sexually transmitted infections are still prevalent among youth.

I grew Osogbo, Osua state. It is a semi-urban area. The challenge is around youth who just finished secondary school. It is really those who didn’t get admitted in to university. They come down with unintended pregnancies and abortions. As a young kid, I always knew I would go to university. I speak for those who are not as empowered as I am. This conference has brought research so close to everyone. I know that I can easily conduct research on sexual and reproductive health challenges that could benefit a lot of other youths. I love challenges, but my worry is you only get your voice to be heard when you have facts and figures. As an average Nigerian, you always think research is big do for the professors. Coming to a conference like this is a lifetime investment because I realize I can conduct my own research on issues that are plaguing youths that are not being paid attention to.

Interview by Brian W. Simpson, editor of Johns Hopkins Public Health magazine.