Smokes and mirrors at the United Nations’ universal periodic review process

Purpose: In 2006, the United Nations’ Human Rights Council was tasked to establish a new human rights monitoring mechanism: the Universal Periodic Review Process. The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of discussions held in the process, over the two cycles of review in relation to women’s rights to access health care services. Design and Methodology: This investigation is a documentary analysis of the reports of 193 United Nations’ state reports, over two cycles of review. Findings: The primary findings of this investigation reveal that despite an apparent consensus on the issue, a deeper analysis of the discussions suggest the dialogue between states is superficial in nature, with limited commitments made by states under review in furthering the protection of women’s right to access health care services in the domestic context. Practical Implications: Considering the optimism surrounding the UPR process, the findings reveal that the nature of discussions held on women’s rights to health care services is at best a missed opportunity to make a significant impact to initiate, and inform, changes to practices on the issue in the domestic context; and at worst, raises doubts as to whether the core aim of the process, to improve the protection and promotion of all human rights on the ground, is being fulfilled. Originality/Value: Deviating from the solely technocratic analysis of the review process in the existing literature, this investigation has considered the UPR process as a phenomenon of exploration in itself, and will provide a unique insight as to how this innovative monitoring mechanism operates in practice, with a particular focus on women’s right to access health care services

Figures of admiration in emerging adulthood: A four country study

Admiration is a social emotion that is developmentally formative in emerging adulthood; admired adults act as mentors, role models and sources of inspiration to this age group (Arnett, 2014). The present study explored who and what emerging adults admire, across four countries (UK, Iran, China and Russia). 525 participants provided written descriptions of an admired figure. Across all cultures, Care and Generativity was the most common theme. Cross-cultural differences emerged for Limitations and Difficulties (most prevalent in China), Autonomy and Assertiveness (most prevalent in Russia), Intellect and Education (most prevalent in Russia), and Religion and Spirituality (most prevalent in Iran). Males and females in the UK and Russia tended to select admired figures of their own sex, but in Iran and China both male and female participants selected more male figures. The findings suggest a common core to admiration in emerging adulthood, combined with culturally specific features

Motives for khat use and abstinence in Yemen - a gender perspective

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Khat consumption is widespread in Yemeni society and causes problems both in economic development and public health. Preventive measures have been largely unsuccessful and the cultivation continues to proliferate. The gender-specific motives for khat use and abstinence were studied to create a toe-hold for more specific interventions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a quota sample with equal numbers of males, females, abstainers and consumers, 320 subjects were interviewed on their specific opinions about khat and its impact on subjective and public health, and on social and community functioning. Strata were compared in their acceptance and denial of opinions. Notions that could predict abstinence status or gender were identified with multivariate logistic regression analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Male khat users had a strong identification with khat use, while females were more ambivalent. The notion that khat consumption is a bad habit (odds ratio (OR) 3.4; p < 0.001) and consumers are malnuorished (OR 2.2; p = 0.046) were associated with female gender among khat users. Among the females worries about health impact (OR 3.2; p = 0.040) and loss of esteem in the family (OR 3.1; p = 0.048) when using khat predicted abstinence. Male abstainers opposed khat users in the belief that khat is the cause of social problems (OR 5.1, p < 0.001). Logistic regression reached an accuracy of 75 and 73% for the prediction of abstinence and 71% for gender among consumers. (All models p < 0.001.)</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Distinct beliefs allow a differentiation between males, females, khat users and abstainers when targeting preventive measures. In accordance to their specific values female khat users are most ambivalent towards their habit. Positive opinions scored lower than expected in the consumers. This finding creates a strong toe-hold for gender-specific public health interventions.</p

Methods for the 2019 New Zealand family violence study- a study on the association between violence exposure, health and well-being

Family violence, which includes child abuse, intimate partner violence and elder abuse, is a problem of national and global significance. Robust evidence about the scale and consequences of the problem is needed to inform policy and practice, including information on high-risk groups, and risk and protective factors. In this article, the methods utilised for collecting data for NZ’s 2019 Family Violence Survey are described, along with a summary of the characteristics of the population-based sample obtained. The 2019 NZ Family Violence Survey will provide prevalence estimates of violence exposure for women and men across a wide range of types of violence across the lifespan. This article provides a basis for understanding who was included in the study sample, and for enabling understanding and interpretation of future study findings

Non-consensual sterilization of women living with HIV

Women living with HIV are stigmatized and discriminated against. They often wish to have children, but they are subjected to the practice of forced (involuntary) sterilization in at least 27 countries under the guise of protecting maternal health and preventing the birth of infected infants. Some women are not asked to give consent, or a third party consents on their behalf. Others are given insufficient information or fed misinformation. The circumstances under which such women have been asked to sign consent forms for sterilization include fear, coercion, intimidation and undue influence. Courts have been clear that such practice is a breach of human rights. But, so far, it has not been formally declared in courts that such practice constitutes discrimination. More needs to be done in terms of education, sanctions against those who carry out this practice and help for victims

Regulating disasters? The role of international law in disaster prevention and management

Purpose – This article explores the role of international law in disaster prevention and management, with a particular focus on the emerging field of international disaster law, and its relationship with international human rights law. It further introduces the four articles of the special column of this journal issue, dedicated to disasters and international law. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based upon primary sources of legislation and policy, as well as academic literature on disasters and international law. Findings – Although the field of international disaster law is at its infancy, we argue that this emergent area does have the potential to gain widespread recognition as a distinct field of law, and that this could be of benefit for the wider disaster management community. Originality/value – The article introduces key legal features and themes relating to international law and disasters, highlighting their relevance for disaster management. The added value is to widen the discussion on aspects of disasters regulated by international law, thus facilitating the future exchange with other academic subjects and operational fields. Keywords – disasters; international law; disaster management; treaties; human rights; international disaster law; international human rights law. Paper type – Research pape

Sanitation, human rights, and disaster management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to link debates around the international law on human rights and disaster management with the evolving debate around the human right to sanitation, in order to explore the extent to which states are obliged to account for sanitation in their disaster management efforts. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on analysis of existing laws and policy relating to human rights, sanitation and disaster management. It further draws upon relevant academic literature. Findings The paper concludes that, while limitations exist, states have legal obligations to provide sanitation to persons affected by a disaster. It is further argued that a human rights-based approach to sanitation, if respected, can assist in strengthening disaster management efforts, while focusing on the persons who need it the most. Research limitations/implications The analysis in this paper focuses on the obligations of states for people on their territory. Due to space limitations, it does not examine the complex issues relating to enforcement mechanisms available to disaster victims. Originality/value This is the first scholarly work directly linking the debates around international human rights law and disaster management, with human rights obligations in relation to sanitation. The clarification of obligation in relation to sanitation can assist in advocacy and planning, as well as in ensuring accountability and responsibility for human rights breaches in the disaster context

‘Repeal the 8th’ in a Transnational Context: The Potential of SRHRs for Advancing Abortion Access in El Salvador

This article undertakes a discursive feminist reading of citizenship and human rights to understand, through the cases of Ireland and El Salvador, domestic abortion rights movements as part of a transnational women’s rights movement. While abortion has been partially decriminalised in Ireland, approximately 42 per cent of the world’s women1 of reproductive age still live in a country where abortion is prohibited entirely or only permitted to save a woman’s life or health (Singh et al., 2018, p. 4). In El Salvador, abortion is illegal and those suspected of having the procedure are prosecuted. As in Ireland, since 2012/2013 numerous controversies have brought the issue to wider public attention and have further galvanised the feminist movement to campaign for reform. Feminist abortion rights campaigns in both countries have connected important sites of activism and contestation: civil society, national parliaments, regional human rights systems and the United Nations