PHA-Exchange> action for women's health

Mon Jun 6 01:54:02 PDT 2005

Dear friends, 

Around the world organisations and groups - both within and beyond PHM - have celebrated 28 May: the International Day of Action for Women's Health. Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rigths, in collaboration with members and Women's Access to Health Campaign supporters from around the world, launched a Call for Action calling for action to stop violence against women. 

Below some examples of actions that have been organised. Did you take action too? Or would you like to have more information? Let us know and we will include you in our reports and publications to come!

Nadia van der Linde

Campaign Coordinator

Women's Access to Health Campaign

To sign up with the Women's Access to Health Campaign, e-mail to: office at wgnrr.nl or fill in the online form at www.wgnrr.org <http://www.wgnrr.org/> . To get a free copy of "Violence Against  Women is a Global Health Emergency" e-mail to office at wgnrr.nl or download your copy at www.wgnrr.org <http://www.wgnrr.org/> . (tambien en Espanol!) (Aussi en Francais!)

WGNRR Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights

RMMDR Red Mundial de Mujeres por los Derechos Reproductivos

RMFDR Réseau Mondial des Femmes pour les Droits sur la Reproduction

Vrolikstraat 453-D

1092 TJ Amsterdam

The Netherlands

phone (31-20) 620 96 72

fax (31-20) 622 24 50

e-mail office at wgnrr.nl

website www.wgnrr.org <http://www.wgnrr.org/> 

Women's Access to Health: Breaking the Silence on Violence

Actions for 28 May 2005 from around the World

The following is a compilation of some of the planned activities of members and supporters of WGNRR's Women's Access to Health Campaign for the International Day of Action for Women's Health (28 May). 

Bangladesh

v      Community Life and fourteen other groups are organising a three-day program (26-28 May) as part of a mass campaign, "Stop family violence! Save Women". The Call for Action is being translated into Bengali. Also being organised are rallies and short discussion meetings involving 15 NGOs and 1200 participants. There will be a press conference to start the advocacy project to re-open a community clinic with full facilities to ensure rural women's health. 

Chile 

v      The Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network (RSMLAC) has developed their own Call for Action and campaign for 28 May 2005: "Women of the Third Millennium. Comprehensive health, sexual rights and reproductive rights: Moving beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)." The aim is to develop critical analysis perspectives on the MDGs.

Democratic republic of Congo

v      FORFEM are to organise an awareness raising activity on violence against women as well as initiative advocacy activities. On 28 May they will distribute WGNRR posters and their own pamphlet on "The necessity of routine gynaecological check-ups and the advantages of contraception for guaranteeing reproductive health".

Denmark

v      KULU will celebrate 28 May with a public brunch debate-meeting "Women's Rights to Health Endangered: The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the Struggle for Women's Sexual and Reproductive Rights". The purpose is to involve people in active lobby and debate toward the MDG+5 summit to take place later this year. After the discussion meeting KULU's annual general meeting will take place in which women's health and this year's Call for Action will be included in a statement proposed to the annual meeting. 

France

v      28-29 May there is the 5 yearly march in Marseille. This is a women's citizenship action on cultures, political regimes and economic systems, with a specific thematic focus on: poverty, patriarchal domination and violence against women. Le Monde selon les Femmes (Belgium) will also attend this march.

Haiti

v      CRAED ('Centre de Recherche ou Aider les Enfants Demunis') are organising a conference and demonstration to highlight women's health and violence issues on 28 May. The events are aimed at the women of Haiti.

India 

v      The Call for Action is translated into Hindi by one active campaign supporter in Delhi.

v      The Rural Development & Youth Training Institute organizes 16 workshops, village meetings and group meetings organised on, "End Violence against Women on the International Day of Action for Women's Health, May 2005". Lobbying and discussion on human rights for girls and on unequal gender relations have been part of these meetings.

v      Gram Bharati Samiti (GBS) in Jaipur is organising group meetings in rural areas on the occasion of the International Day of Action for Women's Health for which the Call for Action on violence against women will serve to raise awareness and start discussions. 

Indonesia

v      The Indonesian Midwives Association sent around copies of the Call for Action on violence against women as a global health emergency to all their provincial chapters to take action during the year.

Iran

v      PHM Iran will hold a meeting on violence and women to celebrate 28 May. The Charter on Health will be promoted, a book on poverty, health and development will be launched and there will be speakers addressing women and violence in relation to poverty gender discrimination and reproductive health. One thousand women and men are expected to participate. 

Japan

v      Soshiren will host a discussion meeting on 28 May about the role of the concept of rights in abortion debates in Nakano, Tokyo. One of the speakers will be Masao Kato, a former volunteer at WGNRR's office, who will be presenting her PhD research. Various women's organisations will be involved.  

Macedonia

v      ESE (the Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women) is organizing a seminar for health professionals. They will publish a leaflet on domestic violence and are currently working with the Ministry of Health to design a coordinated approach to violence against women. 

v      Union of Women's Organizations of the Republic of Macedonia has translated the Call for Action into Macedonian, and an information package on violence against women and 28 May will be disseminated throughout the network. Information has also been added to the website of UWOM and a survey on sexual harassment has just been published.

Netherlands

v      The Coordination Office of WGNRR and the Institute of Social Studies jointly organise a discussion meeting entitled, "Break the silence. Violence against Women is a Global Health Emergency". Representatives from Vietnam, Cameroon, Bangladesh and the Netherlands will share their experiences and perspectives on various aspects of violence against women.

Nigeria

v      KIF (Koyenum Immalah Foundation) in Delta State is organising a seminar at the community level and will stimulate media discussion on violence against women. 

v      ENVIRUMEDIC is holding a youth conference on secondary schools, and is contacting churches in their area on violence against women. Paraguay

v      Movimiento Nacional por el Derecho a la Salud Paraguay (the National Movement for the Right to Health Paraguay) is organising a public action on 28 May on violence against women as a global health emergency, emphasizing the role and responsibility of the government. One of the demands is to have free public health services for all in the country.

South Africa

v      The Voice of the Cape is planning to publish a feature on the International Day of Action for Women's Health. 

Surinam

v      ProHealth and other organisations like Stop Geweld Tegen Vrouwen (Stop Violence Against Women) organise a 5 km march with banners, T-shirts and media coverage on 28 May. On 3 June a panel discussion on, "Sexual violence against women and girls; a serious health problem!" is organised. 

Turkey (Kurdish region)

v      Diyarbakir Democracy Platform is organising a civil society forum: "Peace in the Middle East and the People's Right to Peace" on 28-30 May 2005. Women's rights advancements, women's access to healthcare and violence against women will be the main issues discussed. United Kingdom

v      The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) made the link between May 28 and their work in their April bulletin stating that small arms pose a major threat to women's health. Moreover, small arms contribute to a major public health crisis. They kill and injure hundreds of thousands of people every year, burden hospitals and other health facilities, and disrupt health service delivery. Small arms also fuel conflicts that contribute to forced migration, infectious disease, and psychological trauma. 

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