The session will take place on January 18th, 2024 from 10-11:00am EST. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/addressing-fgs-using-a-gender-sensitive-and-human-rights-based-framework-tickets-773284704367?aff=oddtdtcreator
Session topic: This presentation is based on an article published with several colleagues in December 2022 (Kazeem Arogundade, Kruti Patel, Julie Jacobson, Margaret Gyapong and Alison Krentel). It reiterates that the right to health, enshrined in the constitution of the World Health Organization in 1946 and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, guaranteed women’s fundamental freedoms and dignity. Despite the fact that the Declaration of Human Rights was signed by almost every country in the world, gender inequalities in health and health systems continue to persist, especially in lower and middle income countries. These countries are also disproportionately affected by a litany of neglected diseases. This presentation discusses one of the most neglected human rights and reproductive health issues globally, female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), which imposes enormous unacknowledged suffering on an estimated 56 million women and girls in Sub Saharan Africa. Despite increasing calls for attention to FGS, no country has fully incorporated it into its health system. An appropriate response will require a comprehensive approach, guided by human rights mandates and the redress of FGS-related gender inequalities. The presentation outlines the application of existing human rights and gender-sensitive framework to assist countries in schistosomiasis endemic areas to mount an appropriate health systems response to FGS, from the perspectives of both sex (biological) and gender (socio-cultural), while at the same time honoring their international commitments to human rights and gender equality.
Session speaker: Dr. Carol Vlassoff is an Adjunct Professor with the School of Epidemiology and Public Health and the Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, where she has conducted research and teaching activities in the field of global health, gender, human rights and neglected tropical diseases for the past 12 years. Formerly, she worked with the World Health Organization (17 years), including seven years in senior positions with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Among these positions was Chief, HIV/AIDS (PAHO), PAHO/WHO Representative in Suriname and Deputy Director, Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR). She has also held key posts in the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, and the former Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Dr. Vlassoff has more than 80 peer-reviewed publications in the areas of gender, health systems, population, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, neglected tropical diseases, human rights, and access to medicines. She has a PhD in Economics/Demography from the University of Pune, India, two MAs from the University of Toronto (Philosophy) and the University of Western Ontario (Demography), and a BA (Hon) from the University of Toronto.
About our Knowledge Exchange Cafés:
The Knowledge Exchange Café is a monthly event which will bring together individuals to network and learn from one another’s research and experience. The emphasis in these discussions will be on the social and behavioural sciences as they relate to Neglected Tropical Diseases and how they help reach the WHO 2030 NTD Roadmap goals. Each Knowledge Exchange Café will include time for networking and conversation to facilitate interaction amongst attendees.
About iCHORDS:
iCHORDS (Improving Community Health Outcomes through Research, Dialogue and Systems Strengthening) Community of Practice is a platform for communication, collaboration and knowledge exchange within social and behavioural science research disciplines to address implementation gaps and current issues facing Neglected Tropical Disease programs.
Register as a member here: https://ichords.org/join-community/
