Marching for 3D Printing: Its Potential to Promoting Access to Healthcare in Africa

Technology has the capacity for helping African citizens realize their basic rights. The recent introduction of the disruptive technology—3D printing—has the potential to impact millions of lives through a variety of revolutionary medical solutions, including surgery and the treatment of intractable health conditions. As the technology progresses, so does the practical enjoyment of health rights. This chapter argues that the human rights-based approach to 3D printing technology can be helpful in focusing discussions and actions on health well-being and security for individuals in Africa. Having first analyzed the impact of the technology in revolutionizing healthcare, the chapter provides an overview of the complex health challenges this young continent is faced with. Further, it also explores the most relevant African regional laws and standards, guidelines and policy initiatives requiring African governments to use technologies that can advance the human right to health. It concludes that the healthcare agenda of African countries needs to be better integrated and coordinated to ensure that the technologies have a positive impact on health rights. It further concludes that the African Union Commission should promote the researching and utilization of this technology in the implementation of national health policies and strategies of African countries

Displacement from land as a limit to the realisation of the right to development in Ethiopia

Land remains a valuable asset to the Ethiopian rural population that constitutes approximately 85 per cent of the total population. Land and development are inextricably intertwined in developingagricultural economies such as Ethiopia and the majority of other African countries. Any meaningful social, economic and cultural development or self-determination of the people depends on how land is protected, guarded and defended by those who wield government powers. The state assumes, under human rights law, an obligation to respect land and other property rights and to prevent violations of the people’s rights by third parties and against property dispossession during internal conflicts. While the past few months have seen rapid and complex new developments–literally transforming the landscape of Ethiopian politics – these developments also bring certain dangers. Prominent among these are the large-scale internal conflicts and major population displacements that have caused appalling suffering to hundreds of thousands of Amhara and Oromo people and other ethnic groups. It is over three-and-a-half decades since the right to development gained universal recognition as an inalienable human right. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted in 1993 firmly underlines the universal recognition of the right to development. The right to development has also gained domestic recognition in many African countries, including Ethiopia, where it is explicitly enshrined in the Federal Constitution as one of the fundamental rights. Using available literature, this article examines the implications of displacement from land and investigates its impacts on the non-realisation of the right to development by inquiring how displacement and the human right to development are being pursued in Ethiopia. Considering the continued displacement from their lands and the implications for the right to self-determination of the various ethnic groups over their property, the article advances the argument that, without a strict adherence to land rights, the 2063 and 2030 agendas for sustainable development would fail to achieve their purpose in making living standards better for the vast majority of the people of Ethiopia

A Human Rights-Based Approach to Maternal and Child Health in Ethiopia: Does it Matter to Promote Health Equities?

A rights-based approach to health helps to address health equity gaps. While several aspects of health as a human right exist, this chapter highlights particular indicators relevant to shaping a human rights approach to maternal and child health in Ethiopia. These indicators include recognition of the right to health; national health plan; accessible and acceptable health-care services; accountability; and a civil society that draws on the agency of vulnerable groups. Probing the extent to which the Ethiopian health system includes these features, this chapter identifies that the Federal Constitution does not adequately recognize maternal and child health as a human right. While identifying the positive developments of increased access to women’s and children’s health-care services in Ethiopia, the chapter also charts problems that limit further improvement, including health workers’ inability from making the right health-care decisions; extreme gaps in ensuring accountability; and a restrictive law that restrains social mobilization for a proper health rights movement. The chapter concludes by providing recommendations to the government of Ethiopia that addressing these problems using a rights-based approach offers an alternative pathway for the progressive realization of the right to health of women and children, and it thereby improves health inequities in the country

Within Breed Phenotypic Diversity of Sokota/Tigray Sheep in Three Selected Zones of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

The study was carried out in Atsibi wonberta, Wukro kilteawlaeo, Ofla, Alamata, Enderta and Degua Temben district of Tigray Regional State of Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were to characterize the sheep breeds based on their different qualitative and quantitative traits in their natural environment. Data were gathered through semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, field observations and linear body measurements of sample populations. Body weight, linear body measurements and qualitative records were taken and observed from 600 sheep. The most frequent sheep types were the short fat tailed and fat rumped type of sheep. These include Begie- Degua (common highland) sheep breed which is found in Atsibi-wonberta, Wukro-Kilteawlaelo, Ofla and Degua-Tembien districts, Elle (Afar) sheep breed mostly found in Alamata district and mixed sheep breeds found in Enderta district. For Elle sheep, Sex of the sheep had highly significant (p<0.01) effect on Heart girth (HG), Wither height (WH), tail length (TL). Whereas body weight (BW) and Body length (BL) was affected by sex of the sheep (p<0.05) and ear length (EL) of Elle sheep were not affected (p>0.05) by sex of the sheep. Differently in Common highland and mixed sheep breeds, BW, BL, HG, WH, TL and EL were not affected (p>0.05) by sex of the sheep. Chest girth had consistently showed the highest correlation coefficient (r= 0.22 to 0.84) in the Elle, common highland and mixed sheep breeds in this study. Keywords: Sheep breeds, district (s), linear body measuremen

The influence of human rights instruments on children's rights jurisprudence : an appraisal of the Ethiopian Federal Cassation Court

This article seeks to present the work of the Ethiopian Federal Cassation Court in fostering the application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children, and the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. It discovers that children‟s rights jurisprudence is gradually evolving through the utilization of these legal instruments. This development challenges the current academic debate over the silence of Ethiopian courts with respect to their duty to invoke human rights provisions. Equally, it clarifies the confusion about whether Ethiopian courts exercise their mandate to interpret and apply human rights treaties. Nonetheless, the Court‟s involvement in areas including ensuring compliance with the vertical obligation of children‟s socio-economic rights is limited. The article then identifies the challenges that limit exercise of the Court‟s mandate, and suggests potential ways to enhance the Court‟s constitutional duty of protecting and promoting children‟s rights in the country.https://academic.oup.com/lawfam2018-08-31hb2017Public La

Effect of Crossbreeding Indigenous Sheep with Awassi and Corriedale Sires on Reproductive Performance under Smallholder Production System in Ethiopia

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of crossbreeding on reproductive performance. A village based sheep crossbreeding project has been implemented since 1998 in three villages in the South Wollo, Menz and Chacha districts in Ethiopia. Crossbred rams (3/4 Awassi x 1/4 Local) were supplied to a group of farmers aiming to upgrading the indigenous genotype through backcrossing. The combined levels of location and genotype, year, season and parity had significant effects on the reproductive performance of ewes. Generally, local genotypes showed better (p<0.05) reproductive performance except for number of lambs weaned per ewe per year. The interaction of genotype and location was significant for age at first lambing and lambing interval. In Wollo, Corriedale x local crossbred ewes had similar reproductive performance to that of the local breed. The variation in reproductive performance among locations indicated the importance of delineating crossbreeding areas depending on environmental situation and farmers’ capacity

Prediction of genetic gains for breeding objective traits and designing selection schemes for Washera and Gumuz indigenous sheep

In Ethiopia,there are 32.85 millions of sheep,more than 99 % of which are indigenous.However,the productivity of local sheep under traditional production system is low with high mortality of sheep.There are two ways of improving performance of sheep and goats,namely improving the enviroment of animals and/or improving there genetic potential.The aim of this study was to predict genetic gains of breedingobjective traits and select the best sheep selection scheme for Gumuz andWashera sheep. Body size(six month weight and yearling weight) and litter size were breeding objective traits identified by own flock animal ranking experiment and personal interview. Deterministic approach of ZPLAN computor program is used for modeling input parametres of Gumuz and Washera sheep and simulating breeding plans using gene flow method and selection index procedures. One-tier cooperative sheep breeding scheme were proposed whereby ram exchange between and within villages is the main means of genetic dissimination. Genetic gains predicted for six month weight of Gumuz and Washera sheep were 0.43 and 0.55 kg,respectively. Genetic gains predicted for yearling weight of Gumuz and Washera sheep were 0.55 and 0.60 kg,respectively. Genetic gains predicted for litter  size of Gumuz and Washera sheep were 0.08 and 0.09 lambs,respectively. The lower rate of inbreeding, the higher monetary genetic gain for aggregate genotype,higher return to investmnet and higher profit/ewe/year were quality measures of breeding program considered to prefer scheme 4 for both Gumuz and Washera sheep.Hence,for both Gumuz and Washera sheep populations a sheep selection scheme designed with 15 % selection proportion and one year ram use for breeding was recommended. Special emphasis need to be given to yearling weight with higher predicted genetic response and higher percentage return to investment