Empowering for EqualitySwaran L NaiduAssociate Professor in O&GFiji National UniversityViseisei Sai Health Centre

MDG3- Gender Equality

Reproductive Role?

• Difference in reproductive role to men - disempowers them. -trapped into not having control

-over their reproduction-socio- economically-and becomes dependent on the male partner.

• This leads to many of the abuses that women suffer.

• Motherhood instead of being a celebration becomes a yoke and a burden

Fiji• High Unmet need for contraception

• 30% contraceptive use

• 10% teen Pregnancy

• High rates of unplanned pregnancy

• STI rates high <25 years

• Cervical Cancer rates very high

Disempowerment of women• High poverty- 40% below poverty line

• High unemployment among women

• Unaware of their rights

• Lack of sense of their own worth & value

• Society - believe that they are inferior

• High rates of Gender Based Violence

Response

-Recognition that Reproductive Health can not be delivered from hospitals and health centres only

-Human Rights Project

“Strengthening rights of rural women by providing them with knowledge, access and control of their Reproductive health”.

Funded By European Union

Empowerment of Rural Women and Girls

• Our Project: attempts to help remove the yoke/burden from the most under privileged rural women

• Helping them celebrate who they are and try and realise their full potential

• Hope- help towards gender equality

Project• Education• Awareness raising• Advocacy• Targeted health care through outreach clinics

Main Areas Covered: Reproductive Health Rights/ Human Rights

Family Planning/ contraceptive useSafe sexSTIsCervical Cancer Screening

Target Groups-Lautoka, Ba and Nadi

• Schools Girls, University students

• Youth groups

• Faith Based Groups

• Women’s groups

• Rural Women & men in Villages and settlements

• Teachers of the Family Life Education Program

2 year Project TEAM:•Gynaecologist•2 RH nurses•1 Health Promotion Officer•3 Health Educators•Driver•Data Entry

Mid Feb to June 2013 Stats

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS •35 villages/ settlements (1200 women)• 6 youth/ faith-based groups (200)• 6 schools (202 students)

Workshops• 2 Teachers workshops –Up skilling in RH education• 2 Women’s Advocates in RH Workshops -2 • 1 Youth Workshop• 1 University Students Workshop

THE RH OUTREACH CLINICS

•Total Number of Women Seen------------1066• Pap Smears performed----------------------784•Number of breast examinations-----------1066• Referrals to Lautoka /VSHC—-------------145•Suspicious Breast Lumps---------------------15•Number of Paps with Trichomonas-------44/ 425 results •High grade Pap Abnormality-----------------9/ 425 results •Cases of Cervical Cancer Seen---------------3•(So far- received 425 results of the 784 Pap smears performed)

Our Lives

…changing!