Women Political Leaders in Rwanda and South Africa

The book explores the successes, challenges and controversies of women‘s post-conflict political leadership. Through interviews with women who have held significant leadership positions, the book explores the relationships between their educational, professional, activist and personal backgrounds. It situates their stories within historical and contemporary political contexts, illustrating the gendered ways in which women experience politics as citizens and politicians

Women Political Leaders in Rwanda and South Africa

Narratives of Triumph and Loss explores the successes, challenges and controversies of women‘s post-conflict political leadership. Through interviews with women who have held significant leadership positions, the book explores the relationships between their educational, professional, activist and personal backgrounds. It situates their stories within historical and contemporary political contexts, illustrating the gendered ways in which women experience politics as citizens and politicians

Review of Interventions to Reduce Alcohol Use-Related Sexual Risk Behaviour in Africa

The harmful use of alcohol has long been recognised as a major contributor to mortality and morbidity in many parts of the globe, and in various parts of Sub-Saharan Africa in particular. During the past decade, numerous studies have pointed to alcohol’s potential role in sexual risk behaviours and HIV infection. Consequently, there is an urgent need for the identification, development and implementation of efficacious and effective HIV prevention interventions to reduce levels of sexual risk behaviour that are associated with alcohol use. A systematic literature review was conducted to locate and synthesize peer-reviewed, published and unpublished studies addressing the effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions that have been conducted among alcohol-users in Africa. Eight published studies were found, comprising school, community, STI clinic, and bar-based interventions. The studies provided some evidence for the effectiveness of the interventions within those settings, but were limited by methodological issues, including the intervention designs (lack of control groups), short follow-up periods, and the use of self-report measures of sexual risk behaviour outcomes. The results have implications for policies and programmes, and for further research on interventions to reduce sexual risk behaviour among alcohol users in South Africa.Keywords: alcohol, harmful use, sexual risk behaviours, South Afric

Trends in alcohol prevalence, age of initiation and association with alcohol-related harm among South African youth: Implications for policy

Objectives. To understand alcohol use trends and alcohol-related harm among youth in South Africa (SA) between 1998 and 2008, and discuss implications for the current alcohol policy process.Methods. A review was conducted of 4 national prevalence and 2 sentinel surveillance studies. Data were extracted to Epi Info (version 7) and chi-square analyses undertaken.Results. Lifetime alcohol use remained stable but high at 20 - 25% and 49.1 - 49.6% according to South African Demographic and Health Survey (SADHS) and Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS) data, respectively. Age of initiation remained stable; 12% of adolescents initiated alcohol use prior to age 13 years. Significant gender differences existed with more males having ever consumed alcohol, engaged in binge drinking, and driven or walked under the influence of alcohol (DUI and WUI, respectively). Binge drinking among females increased significantly from 27% to 36% (SADHS) and 18% to 27% (YRBS). DUI and WUI increased. Homicide/violence, suicide and unintentional deaths were significantly associated with blood alcohol concentration (BAC).Conclusions. Although SA has made significant strides in alcohol control and prevention of alcohol-related harm over the past decade, early alcohol initiation remains a concern and binge drinking is increasing, especially among females. Significant associations exist between BAC and alcohol-related fatalities. Findings imply that regulatory policies are inadequate; additional efforts are required to ensure that control strategies translate into a reduction in harmful alcohol use by SA youth.S Afr Med J 2012;102(7):609-61

Women Political Leaders in Rwanda and South Africa

Narratives of Triumph and Loss explores the successes, challenges and controversies of women‘s post-conflict political leadership. Through interviews with women who have held significant leadership positions, the book explores the relationships between their educational, professional, activist and personal backgrounds. It situates their stories within historical and contemporary political contexts, illustrating the gendered ways in which women experience politics as citizens and politicians

Is there a causal relationship between alcohol and HIV? Implications for policy, practice and future research.

There is now conclusive evidence of a causal linkage between heavy drinking patterns and/or alcohol use disorders and the worsening of the disease course for HIV. However, while alcohol usage is consistently associated with the prevalence and incidence of HIV, further research is needed to substantiate causality in terms of the acquisition of this disease. The burden attributable to alcohol use in South Africa in 2004 has been estimated to be 1.3 million years in terms of years lost though premature death caused by alcohol and years lived with an alcohol-related disability (or just over 6% of all years lost from all causes). Of all years lost through death and disability that can be attributed to alcohol, 10% for men and 28% for women can be directly attributed to alcohol’s impact on the progression of HIV in infected individuals. The implications of the above will be discussed in terms of research gaps that need to be addressed and broader policy responses that are needed in the health and social services sectors. In addition, emphasis will be given to specific practices that should be considered for rollout by agencies involved in substance abuse and HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention. Key Words: Alcohol, HIV and AIDS, South Afric

Factors associated with contraceptive use in a rural area in Western Cape Province

Background. Safe and effective contraceptive use can substantially improve women’s reproductive health. Although the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in South Africa is comparable to rates globally, inequalities in CPR affect poor and rural women. This study aimed to determine the CPR and factors associated with contraceptive use in a rural district of Western Cape Province. Method. Cross-sectional survey data based on 412 face-to-face interviews with female participants between 18 and 44 years of age were collected in 2006 for a primary fetal alcohol syndrome prevention study in a rural district in Western Cape Province. The study used effective contraception (ECC) as the outcome variable. ECC included use of oral contraceptives, condoms, injectables or sterilisation. Independent variables included socio-demographic factors, substance use, psychosocial factors, community factors, childbearing characteristics and partner characteristics. Results. Women were more likely to use ECC if they reported high self-esteem (compared with low or moderate self-esteem (prevalence risk ratio (PRR)=1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99 - 1.53); if they strongly or moderately agreed that their culture entitled men to make decisions regarding child-bearing compared with those who disagreed (PRR=1.28; 95% CI 0.96 - 1.71); and if they had one child or more compared with no children (PRR=1.62; 95% CI 1.24 - 2.11). Conclusion. The CPR for sexually active women in this study was low at 39.3%. To promote contraceptive use in similar rural populations, family planning programmes should focus on increasing men’s approval of contraception, improving partner communication around family planning and bolstering women’s confidence in their reproductive decision-making, and particularly their self-esteem. There should be greater focus on nulliparous women

Rural teachers' views: What are gender-based challenges facing Free Primary Education in Lesotho?

This paper gives prominence to rural teachers' accounts of gender-based challenges facin

Factors associated with contraceptive use in a rural area in Western Cape Province

BACKGROUND: Safe and effective contraceptive use can substantially improve women's reproductive health. Although the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in South Africa is comparable to rates globally, inequalities in CPR affect poor and rural women. This study aimed to determine the CPR and factors associated with contraceptive use in a rural district of Western Cape Province. METHOD: Cross-sectional survey data based on 412 face-to-face interviews with female participants between 18 and 44 years of age were collected in 2006 for a primary fetal alcohol syndrome prevention study in a rural district in Western Cape Province. The study used effective contraception (ECC) as the outcome variable. ECC included use of oral contraceptives, condoms, injectables or sterilisation. Independent variables included socio-demographic factors, substance use, psychosocial factors, community factors, childbearing characteristics and partner characteristics. RESULTS: Women were more likely to use ECC if they reported high self-esteem (compared with low or moderate self-esteem (prevalence risk ratio (PRR)=1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99 - 1.53); if they strongly or moderately agreed that their culture entitled men to make decisions regarding child-bearing compared with those who disagreed (PRR=1.28; 95% CI 0.96 - 1.71); and if they had one child or more compared with no children (PRR=1.62; 95% CI 1.24 - 2.11). CONCLUSION: The CPR for sexually active women in this study was low at 39.3%. To promote contraceptive use in similar rural populations, family planning programmes should focus on increasing men's approval of contraception, improving partner communication around family planning and bolstering women's confidence in their reproductive decision-making, and particularly their self-esteem. There should be greater focus on nulliparous women