Positioning women's and children's health in African union policy-making: a policy analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>With limited time to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, progress towards improving women's and children's health needs to be accelerated. With Africa accounting for over half of the world's maternal and child deaths, the African Union (AU) has a critical role in prioritizing related policies and catalysing required investments and action. In this paper, the authors assess the evolution of African Union policies related to women's and children's health, and analyze how these policies are prioritized and framed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The main method used in this policy analysis was a document review of all African Union policies developed from 1963 to 2010, focusing specifically on policies that explicitly mention health. The findings from this document review were discussed with key actors to identify policy implications.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>With over 220 policies in total, peace and security is the most common AU policy topic. Social affairs and other development issues became more prominent in the 1990s. The number of policies that mentioned health rose steadily over the years (with 1 policy mentioning health in 1963 to 7 in 2010).</p> <p>This change was catalysed by factors such as: a favourable shift in AU priorities and systems towards development issues, spurred by the transition from the Organization of African Unity to the African Union; the mandate of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights; health-related advocacy initiatives, such as the Campaign for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA); action and accountability requirements arising from international human rights treaties, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and new health-funding mechanisms, such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.</p> <p>Prioritization of women's and children's health issues in AU policies has been framed primarily by human rights, advocacy and accountability considerations, more by economic and health frames looking at investments and impact. AU policies related to reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health also use fewer policy frames than do AU policies related to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We suggest that more effective prioritization of women's and children's health in African Union policies would be supported by widening the range of policy frames used (notably health and economic) and strengthening the evidence base of all policy frames used. In addition, we suggest it would be beneficial if the partner groups advocating for women's and children's health were multi-stakeholder, and included, for instance, health care professionals, regional institutions, parliamentarians, the media, academia, NGOs, development partners and the public and private sectors.</p

Social Construction of Manhood in Nigeria: Implications for Male Responsibility in Reproductive Health

This paper examines social construction of masculinity and manhood and gender socialisation among the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, with the aid of a combination of qualitative and quantitative data. The sample included male and female, young and old respondents, representing the Yoruba of the Southwest, the Igbo of the Southeast and the Hausa of the North. The study found that, in general, manhood is usually strongly associated with the social position in the family and the physical capability to satisfy the sexual needs of the female partner(s) and to produce children. Decision-making authority, including decision on reproduction, is largely vested in the man. Gender socialising for developing boys into men, including their sexual behaviour, is largely affected by instruction from the mother and the example of the father, while role enactment is closely monitored by the society. Even though significant socio-cultural differences between ethnic groups were found in gender socialising and the resultant roles, male dominance is pervasive and affects reproductive behaviour and health status of both males and females. Change in gender roles, including sexual relationships, will require enlightenment on the need for greater male responsibility in their relationship with females

Ending cervical cancer: A call to action.

The outlook for elimination of the scourge of cervical cancer is bright, because we now have the tools to achieve this goal. In recent years human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in high-income countries has resulted in dramatic decreases in HPV infection and associated cervical disease. If all countries with a substantial burden of disease introduce the vaccine nationally, we can protect the vast majority of women and girls most at risk. For women who are beyond the vaccination target age, progress has been made in screening and treatment for cervical precancer, but we must accelerate this momentum to reduce incidence and mortality worldwide to the very low rates found in wealthier countries. Human and financial resources must be increased and directed to programs that follow best practices and reach all women, including the marginalized or disadvantaged. Seven key actions are recommended. Now is the time for action at national, regional, and global levels

Tackling global health

Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Populations Fund, and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations gives this very special talk on global health and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Dr Osotimehin is a global leader with expertise in public health, women’s empowerment and young people. He has a particular focus on promoting human rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as population and development. Dr Osotimehin has introduced reforms that have increased the effectiveness and efficiency of UNFPA and outlined a more robust vision for improving the lives of women, adolescents and youth around the world. His leadership and advocacy with governments and other key stakeholders will continue to focus on youth and voluntary family planning. He is also steering UNFPA’s humanitarian action and efforts around eliminating gender-based violence and other harmful practices. He has previously served as Nigeria’s Minister for Health, and also as the Director General of the Nigerian National Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS. Dr Osotimehin currently serves on various advisory boards and committees, including the Family Planning 2020 Reference Group and the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Population Dynamics. Dr Osotimehin completed his medical studies at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1972 and received a doctorate in medicine from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom in 1979. He was appointed professor at the University of Ibadan in 1980 and headed the Department of Clinical Pathology before being elected Provost of the College of Medicine in 1990. He has served as chair and member of several academic and health organisations, including as Chair of the National Action Committee on AIDS, between 2002 and 2007. Dr Osotimehin received the Nigerian national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger, in December 2005

Ending cervical cancer: A call to action

The outlook for elimination of the scourge of cervical cancer is bright, because we now have the tools to achieve this goal. In recent years human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in high-income countries has resulted in dramatic decreases in HPV infection and associated cervical disease. If all countries with a substantial burden of disease introduce the vaccine nationally, we can protect the vast majority of women and girls most at risk. For women who are beyond the vaccination target age, progress has been made in screening and treatment for cervical precancer, but we must accelerate this momentum to reduce incidence and mortality worldwide to the very low rates found in wealthier countries. Human and financial resources must be increased and directed to programs that follow best practices and reach all women, including the marginalized or disadvantaged. Seven key actions are recommended. Now is the time for action at national, regional, and global levels