Social Control in Transnational Families: Somali Women and Dignity in Johannesburg

Transnational mobility often separates families and distances individuals from the kinship and social structures by which they organized their lives prior to migration. Myriad forms of insecurity have been the impetus for Somali movement into the diaspora, with people fleeing the realities of conflict that have marked Somalia for decades while physically dividing families as individuals settle in different countries around the world. Mobility has altered the dynamics of households, families, and communities post-migration, reshaping social constructions as individuals move on without the familial support that sustained them in Somalia. While outcomes of these hardships are variable and often uneven in different settlement spaces, migration can offer new opportunities for people to pursue avenues from which they were previously excluded, such as by assuming roles and responsibilities their relatives once filled. These changes precipitate shifting identities and are challenging for women who find themselves self-reliant in the diaspora, particularly in the absence of (supportive) husbands and close kin.Drawing on ethnographic research in Johannesburg’s Somali community, this chapter explores the assumption that migration provides an opening for women to challenge subordinating gender norms. Settlement often grants women greater freedom to make choices in their lives, such as in employment and personal relationships, and yet they remain constrained by networks that limit their autonomy. Even with transnational migration and protracted separation, women are family representatives who must uphold cultural notions of respectability despite realities that position them as guardians and family providers. Women remain under the watchful eye of their extended families through expansive networks and the ease of modern communication, which facilitate a new form of social control as women’s behavior is carefully monitored and reported to relatives afar. These actualities raise questions about the degree to which transnational movement is a liberating force for women or rather a reconfiguration of social control. I argue that despite women’s changing position in their households and families, they remain limited by social control within their extended families and communities

Évolution De La Prevalence Des Infections Virales Transmissibles Par Transfusion Chez Les Donneurs De Sang Du Cnts De Cote D’ivoire De 2000 A 2010.

Introduction : L’objectif de cette étude était décrire l’évolution de la prévalence des infections virales transmissibles par transfusion chez les donneurs de sang de Côte d’Ivoire de 2000 à 2010Matériel et méthodes : Cette étude rétrospective a porté sur les donneurs de sang bénévoles, âgés de 18 à 60 ans ayant effectué un don de sang entre 2000 et 2010. Chaque donneur a été testé pour le VIH, le VHC et le VHB par technique ELISA ou chimiluminescence.Résultats : 334562 donneurs de sang ont été inclus pendant la période de l’étude. D’une année à l’autre, les nouveaux donneurs prédominaient; il y avait plus de donneurs de sexe masculin; les donneurs âgés de 18 à 30 ans étaient majoritaires. Les prévalences annuelles étaient inférieures à 3%, 9% et 5% respectivement pour le VIH, le VHB et le VHC.Globalement, il y avait une diminution de la séroprévalence du VIH (de 2,35% en 2000 à 0,77% en 2010), du VHC (4,33% en 2000 à 2,55% en 2010). Cependant, nous notons une légère augmentation de la prévalence du VHB (6,85% en 2000 contre 7,53% en 2010). Ces tendances étaient similaires pour les deux types de donneurs quel que soit le sexe ou la tranche d’âge.Conclusion : Notre étude a montré que le VIH, le VHC et le VHB constituent encore de véritables freins à la sécurité transfusionnelle en Côte d’Ivoire. Une augmentation du taux de fidélisation des donneurs de sang pourrait en partie diminuer les risques de transmission de ces infections virales.Mots clés : Prévalence, VIH, hépatites B et C, donneurs de sang.Introduction: the aim of this study was to describe the evolution of the prevalence of viral transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 to 2010. Materials and Methods: this retrospective study focused on volunteerblood donors, aged 18-60 years who have made blood donations between 2000 and 2010. Each donor was tested for HIV, HCV and HBV by ELISA or chemiluminescence technique.Results: 334562 blood donors were included during the study period. From one year to another, new donors predominated, there were more male donors, donors aged 18 to 30 years were in the majority. Annual prevalences were less than 3%, 9% and 5% respectively for HIV, HBV and HCV. Globaly, there was a decrease in the prevalence of HIV (from 2.35% in 2000 to 0.77% in 2010), HCV (4.33% in 2000 to 2.55% in 2010). However, we note a slight increase in the prevalence of HBV (6.85 % in 2000 against 7.53% in 2010). These trends were similar for both types of donors regardless of gender or age group either.Conclusion: Our study showed that HIV, HCV and HBV are still real obstacles to transfusion safety in Côte d'Ivoire. An increase in the retention rate of blood donors could partly reduce the risk of transmission of these viral infections.Key words : Prevalence, HIV, hepatitis B and C, blood donors.Article in Frenc