Please note: This archive was last updated in 2005.
RHO archives : Topics : Gender and Sexual Health
Links
Updated November 30, 2004
Listed below are useful web resources on sexual health and gender in low-resource settings. The entries are organized under the following categories:
- Gender and women's health
- Violence against women
- Trafficking in humans for forced labor
- Child sexual abuse
- Sex workers
- Mental health
- Sexuality
- Gender analysis
For general reproductive health links, go to the RH Resources page.
Please note that PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader software, which can be downloaded for free at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.
If you know of a resource to be included in this list, please send the URL (web address) and a description to: rho@path.org.
Gender and women's health
Centre for Development and Population
Activities (CEDPA)
www.cedpa.org
CEDPA is a nonprofit, international organization that strives to empower
women at all levels of society to be full partners in development. All of
their activities are designed to advance gender equity. This website introduces
CEDPA's programs, training efforts, publications.
Cultura,
Salud, y Reproducción en América Latina
www.hsph.harvard.edu/Organizations/healthnet/_Spanish/course/
Several dozen Spanish-language articles are collected together in this online
course. The eight modules cover: reproductive health from a gender perspective,
qualitative research methodologies, maternal health, family planning, sexually
transmitted illnesses, maternal mortality and abortion, reproductive technology,
and reproductive rights.
EngenderHealth
www.engenderhealth.org/wh/sg/index.html
A nonprofit, international reproductive health care organization, EngenderHealth
(formerly AVSC International) has identified gender issues and sexuality
as important emerging issues. The sexuality section of this website explains
why sexuality has been absent in family planning services and discusses
what health providers can do to address sexual issues. Another section addresses
possible gender biases in family planning and reproductive health services.
Family Health International
(FHI): Women's Studies Project
www.fhi.org/en/wsp/nwomen.html
FHI is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that strives
to increase access to family planning, prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and
other STIs, and improve the health of women and children. It has supported
a five-year research project, the Women's Studies Project, to examine the
immediate and long-term consequences of family planning use on women. The
project included 26 field studies in 10 countries and secondary analyses
in 4 countries. The country reports and final synthesis paper of the Women's
Studies Project are posted at the site, which is available in English, French,
Spanish, and Russian.
GENDER-AIDS Listserv
www.hivnet.ch:8000/topics/gender-aids
GENDER-AIDS provides a virtual meeting place for organizations and people
to network, share experiences, and ask for and share advice on issues related
to gender and HIV/AIDS. The main aim of this email distribution list is
to clarify what gender is in relation to HIV/AIDS and enable people to make
their projects and programs more gender-sensitive. You can join GENDER-AIDS
by sending an email to gender-aids@hivnet.ch
or by pointing your browser at www.hivnet.ch:8000/join/.
Gender Equality & The Millennium
Development Goals
www.mdgender.net
While just one of the eight Millennium Gender Goals (MDGs) established by
world leaders directly challenges discrimination against women, gender equality
and women’s empowerment are essential to the achievement of all of
the MDGs. The resources posted at this site promote understanding of how
gender equality relates to each goal and give programs the tools to take
action.
GenderStats
http://genderstats.worldbank.org
This electronic database includes sex-disaggregated data by country and
region on a wide variety of topics, including health, nutrition, and violence;
education; poverty and socioeconomic roles; and political participation.
Data comes from national statistics, UN databases, and World Bank surveys
and is updated continuously.
GENSALUD
www.paho.org/English/DPM/GPP/GH/listserv.htm
This electronic newsletter is sponsored by the Program on Women, Health,
and Development of the Pan American Health Organization as part of a larger
information system on gender and health. GenSalud disseminates information
on women's issues, including sexual and reproductive health and rights,
violence against women, quality of care, health reform, and gender equity.
It distributes Program Fact Sheets, information on new projects and research
results, upcoming conferences and meetings, and Internet resources. Information
is posted in both English and Spanish. To subscribe to GenSalud, send an
email message to listserv@paho.org,
leave the subject line blank, and in the body of the message, type "SUBSCRIBE
GENSALUD."
Global Reproductive Health
Forum
www.hsph.harvard.edu/grhf
This clearinghouse, which is based at the Harvard School of Public Health,
provides access to wide-ranging information about reproductive health as
well as chat rooms, newsgroups, email lists, and electronic magazines and
newsletters involved in the global debate on reproductive health and rights.
The Research Library includes resources on gender theory and sexuality (under
Gender, Biology, and Technology), sexual rights and gender-based violence
(under Reproductive Rights), and menopause and adolescence (under Maternal
Health). Also available at this site is a library of full-text
articles on South Asian reproductive health collected by SNDT Women's
University, Mumbai, India (www.hsph.harvard.edu/grhf/SAsia/suchana/sndtframe.html);
it includes many articles on gender and sexuality, including the issue of
sex selection before birth. New to the site is the Women
of Color Web (www.hsph.harvard.edu/grhf/WoC), which address issues of
interest to women of color in the United States. Portions of the site are
available in Spanish.
Health,
Empowerment, Rights, and Accountability (HERA)
www.iwhc.org/global/un/unhistory/hera.cfm?language=1
HERA is an international group of women's health activists working to ensure
the implementation of the agreements reached at the 1994 Cairo and 1995
Beijing conferences. They are working to ensure that international agencies,
donors, governments, and NGOs adopt a sexual and reproductive rights and
health approach in offering health services. Posted at the site are a series
of action sheets, available in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish,
including sheets on gender equality and equity, sexual health, sexual rights,
and women's empowerment. Each action sheet defines the concept, explains
its importance, and details actions that should be taken with regard to
law and policy, services, training and education, research, and the media.
Institute of Development Studies (IDS):
BRIDGE and Eldis
www.ids.ac.uk
Two useful information services are based at the Institute of Development
Studies (IDS) in the United Kingdom. BRIDGE
(www.ids.ac.uk/bridge) supports gender mainstreaming efforts in development
by bridging the gap between theory, policy, and practice with accessible
gender knowledge. Available online are BRIDGE reports synthesizing key gender
and development debates, policies, and practices; bibliographies that identify
and summarize key resources in specific areas; and a bulletin for policy
makers and practitioners. ELDIS
(www.ids.ac.uk/eldis) is a gateway to information sources on development
and the environment. Its gender
resource guide (www.eldis.org/gender/index.htm)
covers violence against women, the response to HIV/AIDS, and other health
issues.
Interagency Gender Working Group (IGWG)
www.igwg.org/
Established in 1997, the IGWG is a network of NGOs including the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID), its cooperating agencies
(CAs), and the Center for Population, Health and Nutrition (PHN) of USAID.
The IGWG promotes gender equity within PHN programs to improve reproductive
health and HIV/AIDS outcomes and foster sustainable development. IGWG's
five task forces raise awareness and commitment to synergies between gender
equity and reproductive health outcomes, collect empirical data on gender
and reproductive health, advance knowledge through the development and dissemination
of operational tools for the integration of gender approaches into PHN programming,
and advance best practices through technical assistance to the field.
International Center for Research on Women
(ICRW)
www.icrw.org
A private, nonprofit organization based in the United States, ICRW promotes
women's participation in social and economic development. It sponsors research
on five issues: adolescence, HIV/AIDS, nutrition and food security, poverty
reduction, reproductive health and population, violence against women. This
site describes current ICRW projects and provides online access to research
reports, policy papers, and other publications.
International Council on Management
of Population Programs (ICOMP)
www.icomp.org.my
ICOMP members are drawn from national population and family planning programs,
NGOs, and management institutes in the developing world. By sharing experiences,
ICOMP members hope to improve the management of population programs. ICOMP
has compiled extensive materials on how to incorporate gender concerns in
the design and implementation of reproductive health programs. These include
detailed case studies of programs in South Africa, Pakistan, Philippines,
and India and an analysis of the lessons learned from their experiences.
Of special interest is an issue of Innovative Approaches to Population
Program Management on violence
against women (www.icomp.org.my/Publish/volume9.htm).
International Women's Health Coalition
(IWHC)
www.iwhc.org
A nonprofit organization based in the United States, IWHC provides technical,
managerial, moral, and financial support to reproductive health providers,
advocacy groups, and women's organizations in developing countries. Its
goal is to promote women's reproductive and sexual health and rights. This
site provides background information on a wide range of issues, including
reproductive and sexual rights, sexual health, STIs and AIDS, violence against
women, and safe abortion. It describes IWHC programs and publications and
has links to other Internet sites.
International Women's Tribune Center
(IWTC)
www.iwtc.org
Designed as an information and resource center for women advocates worldwide,
the IWTC site focuses on the Beijing Platform for Action (PFA) and Beijing+5
follow-up plans and policies. Chapters from the IWTC manual, Women! Policy!
Action! A Community Action Guide to the Platform for Action, are featured,
with a summarized form of the PFA strategic objectives and actions for each
critical area of concern, plus obstacles and challenges added at the Beijing+5
meeting in June 2000. Lists of websites and publications also are included.
Ipas
www.ipas.org
This nonprofit agency seeks to improve womens lives around the world through
a focus on reproductive health, especially by preventing unsafe abortion,
improving treatment of its complications, and reducing its consequences.
Available online are fact
sheets on sexual and reproductive rights (www.ipas.org/english/publications/international_health_policies.asp)
and publications
exploring the connection among violence against women, unwanted pregnancy,
and abortion-related morbidity and mortality (www.ipas.org/english/publications/violence_against_women.asp).
Also available is a skills-building resource pack on gender and reproductive
health for adolescents and youth workers entitled Gender
or Sex? Who Cares (www.ipas.org).
Website available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Latin American and Caribbean
Womens Health Network (LACWHN)/Red de Salud de las Mujeres Latinoamericanas
y del Caribe
www.reddesalud.org/english/sitio/portada.htm
This network links regional organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean
that are active in the womens health movement. To promote womens health,
rights, and citizenship throughout the life cycle and defend their sexual
and reproductive rights, LACWHN mounts advocacy campaigns, organizes international
and regional events, provides human resource training in womens health
with a gender perspective, and disseminates information in Spanish and English
through a variety of publications. Website available in Spanish and English.
Oxfam:
Links Newsletter
www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/gender/links/
Produced three times a year, this newsletter reports on Oxfam's gender and
development work in more than 70 countries around the world. The July 2001
and March 1998 issues of Links address gender and health issues.
The March 1999 issue covers violence against women; the articles were first
presented at an Oxfam workshop in Sarajevo that brought together 60 women
from 25 countries to share experiences and strategies on gender-based violence.
Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO): Gender and Health
www.paho.org/genderandhealth
A regional office of the World Health Organization, PAHO examines gender
issues through its Program on Women, Health, and Development. The program
promotes gender equity in health policy making and tries to reduce gender
inequities in health status, access to health care, and participation in
decision making. Many resources are available at this website including
fact sheets and advocacy kits; a virtual library on gender and health; information
on training courses and university programs; gender and health news; listservs;
and technical reports and books. Many documents can be downloaded, usually
in Spanish and English. Gender-based violence is one of the programs
core interests, and it has developed an integrated model for the care of
intra-family violence. Of special interest is the final report of a 2001
symposium on gender violence in the Americas which makes policy and
program recommendations for dealing with the issue (www.paho.org/English/HDP/HDW/Symposium2001FinalReport.htm).
Q
Web Sweden
www.qweb.kvinnoforum.se
The aim of this site, which is funded by the Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the National Institute of Public Health, is
to promote women's health and equal rights and to ensure women's control
over sexuality and reproduction. It contains sections on the empowerment
of women, women's health in a cultural and social context, sexual and reproductive
health and rights, violence and abuse, and adolescent sexuality, fertility,
and gender issues. Each section includes extensive links to other sites
on the web and lists of references, papers, and presentations. In addition,
the site displays contact information and brief descriptions submitted by
programs and researchers from around the world who have registered with
Q Web. The site is available in English and Swedish.
Shaan Online: IPS
e-zine on Gender and Human Rights
www.ipsnews.net/hivaids/index.shtml
Published by IPS-Inter Press Service with the support of UNIFEM, this online
magazine features stories about womens empowerment, HIV/AIDS, and other
sexual health issues.
Siyanda
www.siyanda.org
An online, searchable database of gender information and materials based
in the United Kingdom, Siyanda is designed to support the efforts of policy
workers, gender activists, program workers, and researchers in mainstreaming
gender. Each document is summarized, and key documents have a long summary
including findings and recommendations for implementation. Users are invited
to share their work and contribute materials to the database.
WomenWatch
www.un.org/womenwatch
WomenWatch is the Internet Gateway to all United Nations efforts for the
advancement and empowerment of women. This site summarizes the UN's gender
agenda; disseminates news about UN activities; and provides links to all
UN bodies, conventions and declarations, and conferences that are relevant
to women's issues. The United
Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) (www.un.org/womenwatch/daw)
has posted information on the UN's
Beijing+5 Women 2000 Conference (www.un.org/womenwatch/confer/beijing5),
the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against
Women, and the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing. A searchable database
of Good Practices
(www.un.org/womenwatch/resources/goodpractices) encourages the replication
and adaptation of successful programs to support gender equity. Also available
online are background documents, discussion papers, and the final report
from DAW's
1998 Expert Group Meeting on Women and Health - Mainstreaming the Gender
Perspective into the Health Sector (www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/healthaide.htm).
This meeting created a framework for governments to address gender issues
in health, including national policy, health service delivery systems, and
biomedical research.
World Health Organization (WHO):
Department of Gender and Women’s Health
www.who.int/gender/
In 2002, WHO adopted a gender policy acknowledging the vital impact that
sex and gender have on health. The Department of Gender and Women’s
Health helps WHO programs integrate gender considerations into their work,
conducts research on topics directly related to women’s health, and
disseminates information on gender and health. A variety of fact sheets
and papers on gender and specific health issues are posted here, including
a paper on integrating
gender into HIV/AIDS programs (www.who.int/gender/documents/en/Integrating.pdf).
World Neighbors
www.wn.org
This nonprofit organization works with the rural poor in 18 countries in
Asia, Africa and Latin America to strengthen the ability of individuals
and communities to solve their own problems of hunger, poverty and disease.
World Neighbors' programs integrate community-based health and family planning,
improved agriculture, environmental conservation, water and sanitation,
and small business. It has produced a series of publications
on gender and reproductive health (https://www.wn.org/wnstore/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=15150)
that discuss the usefulness of participatory approaches in tackling issues
of gender, health, and decision making.
Violence against women
American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
www.acog.com/from_home/departments/dept_web.cfm?recno=17
This site provides a variety of information (some of it in Spanish as well
as English) on violence against women, including fact sheets, screening
tools for medical professionals, materials for school-based programs, questionnaires
and leaflets for abused women, and links to other sites.
Amnesty International
www.amnesty-usa.org/women/
As part of its broader efforts to promote and defend human rights, this
nonprofit organization defends women and girls against gender-based violence,
holds governments accountable for preventing and punishing acts of gender-based
violence perpetrated by the state or individuals, works to obtain political
asylum for women fleeing persecution, and collaborates at the grassroots
level with other human rights and womens groups. Reports available online
discuss discrimination and violence against women in India, honor killings
in Pakistan, and the torture of women.
BASTA!
www.ippfwhr.org/publications/publication_detail_e.asp?PubID=10
Published by the Western Hemisphere Region (WHR) of the International Planned
Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in both English and Spanish, this newsletter
reports on the practical issues involved with integrating gender-based violence
(GBV) into sexual and reproductive health care. The full text of each newsletter
is available online. The newsletter is an invaluable resource for health
programs that are adding GBV services. It offers detailed instructions and
advice on how to develop and implement service protocols, screening tools,
staff training, referral networks, and the like.
Diagnostic
and Treatment Guidelines on Family Violence
www.ippfwhr.org/publications/publications_by_topic_e.asp?CategoryID=5&CategoryName=violence
IPPF/WHR has translated into Spanish a series of guidelines from the American
Medical Association (AMA) on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of
family violence. Topics include physical abuse and neglect of children,
sexual abuse in childhood, domestic violence, sexual violence, and the effects
of family violence on mental health. The Spanish translations can be downloaded
here as PDF files, while the original English-language guidelines
can be viewed at the AMA (www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/3548.html).
End
Violence Against Women: Information and Resources
www.endvaw.org
This website has been developed by the Johns Hopkins University Center for
Communication Programs to link policy makers, researchers, health communication
specialists and others with the latest information and materials from around
the world related to violence against women. Visitors to the site can access
policy documentation, research articles, training curricula, and communication
materials such as videos, brochures, and posters.
End-Violence
Working Group
www.edc.org/GLG/end-violence/hypermail/
Sponsored by UNIFEM, this listserv unites people from more than 120 countries
in a virtual community that works to end violence against women. It provides
information and recommendations to UN agencies and publications; promotes
the visibility of developing country organizations working against gender-based
violence; expands networking among NGO, government, international, educational,
religious, and other groups; and shares information about policies, strategies,
cases, and best practices. To subscribe, send an e-mail to majordomo@mail.edc.org,
leave the subject line blank, and write "subscribe end-violence"
in the message area.
Eradicating
Violence Against Women and Girls—Strengthening Human Rights
www.gtz.de/violence-against-women/english/index.html
Participants at this 2002 conference, sponsored by GTZ, presented innovative
approaches from developed and developing countries to improve prevention
and encourage elimination of gender-based violence. A wealth of documents
is posted at this website, including keynote speeches, presentations on
program development and experience, and materials from training workshops.
Also included are lists of relevant literature and links to websites.
Family
Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF)
www.endabuse.org
A nonprofit organization based in the United States, the Family Violence
Prevention Fund focuses on domestic violence education, prevention, and
public policy reform. With support from the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, FPVF operates the National
Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (http://endabuse.org/programs/healthcare)
to offer support to health care professionals, policy makers, and domestic
violence advocates. The resource center includes materials to help health
care providers screen patients for domestic violence, practical tools and
model training strategies to help health care providers respond to victims
of domestic violence, an online system to request health technical assistance,
and materials on shaping public policy.
Human Rights Watch
www.hrw.org
This advocacy organization investigates human rights violators and lobbies
governments to end abusive practices and respect international law. The
Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch monitors many gender inequities,
including gender-based violence. The annual Human
Rights Watch World Report (www.hrw.org/wr2k4) reviews current levels
of violence against women, government responses to violence, and action
by the international community. In addition, many country
reports documenting specific patterns of violence against women are
posted online (www.hrw.org/pubweb/women.html). The site is available in
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
International Planned Parenthood Federation
(IPPF)
www.ippf.org
In November 1999, IPPF and Population Concern organized an expert meeting
on "Violence
Against Women: The Impact on Reproductive Health" (www.ippf.org/resource/gbv/chogm99/index.htm)
during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in South Africa. Posted
online are a Call to Action and presentations discussing the global challenges
in ending gender-based violence, the problems facing South African women,
and the impact of violence against women on sexual and reproductive health.
Also available online is an IPPF
report (www.ippf.org/resource/gbv/ma98/index.htm) providing a practical
framework for family planning associations and clinic personnel to use in
combating gender-based violence. IPPFs Western Hemisphere Region is especially
active in combating gender-based
violence (www.ippfwhr.org/programs/program_gbv_e.asp), with projects
of various kinds under way in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Peru,
and Venezuela.
Isis Internacional
www.isis.cl/index.htm
The Latin American and Caribbean coordinating office of this international
NGO collects and disseminates up-to-date information regarding women’s
issues in the region. A wealth of information on violence against women
is available at its website as well as on women and health. Of special
interest is a databank
on sexually related killings of women (www.isis.cl/Feminicidio/index.htm).
Kamilat
www.kamilat.org
This U.S.-based NGO, which focuses on Muslim women and families, has been
conducting a domestic violence awareness campaign in the Muslim community
for the past two years. Kamilat's activities include community surveys of
attitudes toward gender-based violence, educational materials and workshops,
community intervention teams to support Muslim women who experience domestic
violence, and a curriculum on Islamic family law for Imams. All of its activities
are based on Islamic precepts.
Maternal
and Child Health Library: Knowledge Path on Domestic Violence
http://mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_domviolence.html
A virtual guide to information on maternal and child health, the MCH Library
is produced by the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
(NCEMCH) at Georgetown University. The knowledge path on domestic violence,
which is updated annually, offers a selection of current, high-quality resources
and information tools for policy makers, health professionals, advocates,
and families. Listed here are websites, electronic publications, journal
articles, books, reports, databases, and electronic newsletters and discussion
groups that address domestic violence.
Medical Research Council (MRC)
www.mrc.ac.za
One of eight Science Councils established by the South African government,
the MRC seeks to improve people's health status and quality of life through
excellent health research. Violence against women is a priority of the MRC's
Gender and Health Research
Group (www.mrc.ac.za/gender/gender.htm), and a variety of research reports
on the subject are available online.
Minnesota Advocates for Human
Rights
www.mnadvocates.org
The Womens Human Rights Program of this U.S.-based advocacy organization
engages in research, documentation, education, and training on womens rights
in the United States and around the world. Online reports are available
documenting domestic violence and trafficking in Eastern Europe and in some
other countries around the world.
National Advisory Council on Violence
Against Women:Toolkit to End Violence Against Women
http://toolkit.ncjrs.org
This toolkit was developed by a U.S. government advisory panel to provide
concrete guidance to communities, policy leaders, and individuals working
to end violence against women. Experts in sexual assault, domestic violence,
and stalking have created detailed recommendations for prevention, service,
and advocacy activities. Each section of the toolkit addresses a specific
audience or environment, including community-based services, health care,
the general public, and the international community. The text is accompanied
by a series of action cards summarizing what needs to be done.
National Coalition Against Domestic
Violence
www.ncadv.org
This U.S.-based, nongovernmental organization seeks to empower battered
women and their children by building coalitions, supporting community-based
programs, public education, and policy and legislative development. The
organization serves as an information and referral center for the general
public, media, battered women, and member organizations. The site provides
battered women and their advocates with comprehensive information on domestic
violence, including typical signs of an abusive relationship, barriers to
leaving, how to develop a safety plan, and finding support and legal counsel.
Another section provides information on how communities can develop domestic
violence awareness and prevention programs and start shelters.
Population Council: Gender and Family Dynamics
www.popcouncil.org/genfam/index.html
The Population Council is an international, nonprofit organization that
conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research on problems
related to reproductive health and population growth. One of its primary
research areas is gender and family dynamics, including violence against
women and power in sexual relations. Many publications on these issues
are available online, including a series of reports from a 2003 global
consultative meeting on non-consensual sex among young people in developing
countries (www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/popsyn/PopulationSynthesis1.pdf; www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/popsyn/PopulationSynthesis2.pdf;
www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/popsyn/PopulationSynthesis3.pdf).
Project
on Strategies to Address Crimes of Honour: Preliminary Bibliography
www1.umn.edu/humanrts/bibliog/crimesofhonor.html
A joint project of the Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law (CIMEL)
and the International Center for the Legal Protection of Human Rights (INTERIGHTS),
this annotated bibliography lists published materials on honor crimes by
region and includes case summaries from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the United
Kingdom.
Raising Voices
www.raisingvoices.org
Based in Uganda, this nonprofit project works to create and promote community-based
approaches to preventing violence against women and children. It offers
technical assistance and program tools to local organizations combating
violence. Posted at the website is a resource guide on community mobilization.
It offers organizations practical guidance on how to develop and implement
a comprehensive domestic violence prevention program, including practical
examples of learning materials, training events, and other activities.
Sisterhood Is Global Institute (SIGI)
www.sigi.org
An international nongovernmental, nonprofit organization, SIGI is dedicated
to the support and promotion of women's rights at the local, national,
regional,
and global levels. It works toward empowering women and developing leadership
through human rights education.
SIVIC
www.sivic.org
This site specializes in the treatment of domestic violence and is addressed
to health sector professionals. In addition to background information on
the problem of domestic violence, the site offers practical advice on how
health care providers can identify, evaluate, and help women are the victims
of domestic violence in the course of health consultations. An initiative
of the European Commission, SIVIC is available in English, French, Italian,
Spanish, and Portuguese.
Speak Out!
www.speakout.org.za
This South African web page is designed for rape survivors as well as health
care professionals. It supplies emergency information, telling women what
to do and where to go in case of rape both for legal services and medical
care. Doctors will find guidelines on medical care and counseling in case
of sexual assault and domestic violence. Because of the high prevalence
of HIV in South Africa, SpeakOut! has a very comprehensive section for those
infected or affected by AIDS, including the most up-to-date information
on post-exposure prophylaxis after rape.
Stop Violence Against Women
www.stopvaw.org
This site promotes women’s human rights in Central and Eastern Europe
and in the Commonwealth of Independent States. It provides women’s
rights advocates with information, in English and Russian, on ending four
endemic forms of violence against women in the region: domestic violence,
sexual assault, sexual harassment, and trafficking in women. Information
on the situation in specific countries is available, as well as training
materials, advocacy tools, and legal information.
UNICEF
www.unicef.org
UNICEF's 1997 report on the Progress
of Nations (www.unicef.org/pon97) identified domestic violence as a
priority issue for women's empowerment and advocates legal and social reform
to change the status quo. The report describes the progress in getting countries
to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on
the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Also
under the auspices of UNICEF, a worldwide directory
of organizations has been assembled to work with men and boys to end
violence against women and girls (www.comminit.com/genderviolence/sld-2010.html).
UNIFEM:
The Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women
www.unifem.undp.org/trustfund/
UNIFEM (the United Nations Development Fund for Women) supports innovative
projects aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women. It
has provided grants to 36 organizations in 31 countries in an effort to
identify innovative and effective strategies to combat gender-based violence.
This site describes how to apply for a grant, lists prior grant recipients,
and describes some Trust Fund projects, which include educational campaigns,
research efforts, and services for victims of violence. Three UNIFEM publications
are of special interest. With
an End in Sight (www.unifem.org/index.php?f_page_pid=71) highlights
initiatives in seven countries by women’s organizations, judicial
and law-enforcement systems, community and youth groups, policy makers,
and international organizations to end gender-based violence. Picturing
a Life Free of Violence (www.unifem.org/index.php?f_page_pid=66)
showcases media and communication strategies and materials used around the
world to end violence against women. Not
a Minute More (www.unifem.org/index.php?f_page_pid=207) makes recommendations
for next steps based on an examination of successful and unsuccessful efforts
to prevent violence against women.
United Nations
Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women
www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/7/b/mwom.htm
Since the appointment of a United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence
against women in 1994, the UN has received regular reports on the prevalence
of different forms of violence, the legal response, and recommendations
for action. These reports, which are available in English, French, and Spanish,
cover violence within the family, including battery, marital rape, incest,
forced prostitution, violence against domestic workers, child abuse, and
female infanticide; violence in the community, including rape, sexual violence,
and sexual harassment; trafficking in women and forced prostitution; violence
against migrant workers and refugees; violence against women in wartime
and in the criminal justice system; and religious extremism. The site also
includes a description of the rapporteur's working methods, press releases,
and a complaints form.
U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/drh/wh_violence.htm
Listed here are links to CDC resources on violence and reproductive health,
including journal articles, conference notes, survey results, training activities,
and a slide set on partner violence during pregnancy.
Women'sNet
www.womensnet.org.za
Women'sNet supports social activism in South African by linking women to
relevant people, information, resources, and tools. Violence against women
is one of the major issues addressed. The site describes the social context
of gender-based violence in South Africa, local organizations campaigning
against violence, efforts to change national laws and policies, and Internet
links. Women'sNet also advises victims of violence on how to get help and
encourages women to organize and campaign against violence.
World Health
Organization (WHO): Department of Injuries and Violence Prevention
www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/
The 49th World Health Assembly declared violence a public health priority
in 1996, and the Department of Injuries and Violence Prevention now coordinates
WHO efforts to combat all types of interpersonal violence, including partner
abuse, sexual violence, and child abuse. WHO activities addressing sexual
violence (www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/interpersonal/ip3/en/)
include developing guidance on providing gender-sensitive health services
to survivors of sexual violence, promoting a research agenda on sexual
violence, and filling gaps in the evidence based on the sexual health situation
and needs of adolescents. Among the publications available online are a
fact
sheet (www.who.int/mipfiles/2269/239-ViolenceAgainstWomenforMIP.pdf)
summarizing the public health approach to violence against women, guidelines for medico-legal care for victims of sexual violence (www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/resources/publications/med_leg_guidelines/en/),
and the 2002
World Report on Violence and Health (www5.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/wrvh1/en/).
Trafficking in humans for forced labor
Coalition to Abolish Slavery
and Trafficking (CAST)
www.castla.org
CAST assists the victims of trafficking in the United States with a variety
of services, including shelter, food, medical and mental health care, legal
services, ESL training, and jobs. In addition, the organization uses research
and the experience of its trafficked clients to advocate for the human rights
of trafficked persons. Its public education activities, including public
speaking and media advocacy, are designed to raise awareness of trafficking
and recognize trafficked people as contributing members of the community.
Coalition Against Trafficking
in Women (CATW)
www.catwinternational.org
This nongovernmental advocacy organization promotes women's human rights
and works internationally to combat sexual exploitation, especially prostitution
and trafficking in women and children. CATW researches and educates the
public about the harm sustained by women who have been trafficked and are
in prostitution. The organization advocates for policies and legislation
that support women’s right to be free of sexual exploitation and helps
create alternatives for the victims of sexual exploitation. An extensive
library of resolutions, international agreements, reports, and articles
is posted at the site.
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women
(GAATW)
www.gaatw.org
GAATW seeks to ensure that the human rights of trafficked persons around
the world are respected and protected by authorities and agencies and to
empower women. It is fostering a human rights and workers’ rights
approach to combating abusive and exploitative conditions for persons who
are trafficked. GAATW engages in advocacy, training, and research and has
produced useful fact sheets, handbooks, and manuals on working with women
who have been trafficked.
Human Rights Watch
(HRW)
www.hrw.org/women/trafficking.html
This independent, nongovernmental organization conducts fact-finding investigations
into human rights abuses in all regions of the world and disseminates their
findings in order to change government policy and practice. As part of its
efforts to protect women’s fundamental human rights, HRW actively
works to expose and denounce the trafficking of women and children.
International Movement Against All Forms
of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR)
www.imadr.org
An international, nongovernmental organization based in Japan, IMADR strives
to advance human rights around the world. Their activities include a project
to eliminate the trafficking of women in Asia, a reference manual for the
empowerment of the victims of trafficking, and a working group on contemporary
forms of slavery. The site is available in English and Japanese.
International
Organization on Migration (IOM)
www.iom.int/en/who/main_service_areas_counter.shtml
IOM provides assistance to victims of trafficking, disseminates information
about trafficking in countries of origin, builds the capacity of governments
to counteract trafficking, and researches and raises awareness of the problem.
It also publishes an annual Bulletin on Trafficking in Migrants.
Pan American
Health Organization (PAHO): Trafficking in the Americas
www.paho.org/english/hdp/hdw/advocacykits.htm
As part of its work on gender and health, PAHO has created a fact sheet,
issue paper, and presentation on sex trafficking in the Americas. This advocacy
kit presents a conceptual framework explaining how demand, supply, and impunity
combine to encourage trafficking; describes the volume and patterns of trafficking
in the Americas; discusses the health impacts of trafficking; and reviews
the legal context for trafficking.
Q Web Sweden: The Trafficking
Project
www.qweb.kvinnoforum.se/
Together with the Foundation of Women's Forum, Q Web Sweden conducted a
research project on preventive and rehabilitation work with sex workers.
The aim was to mobilize resources and organizations and to facilitate the
exchange of knowledge and experiences in the field. The report is posted
online, as is an extensive list of references, online articles, news and
events, links to relevant websites, and other resources.
Regional
Workshop on Health Aspects of Trafficking in Persons: A Regional Workshop
and Conference, Budapest, March 12–21, 2003
www.usembassy.hu/cee-hub/programs/past_programs.htm
In 2003, the U.S. Embassy in Budapest and the International Organization
for Migration hosted a regional conference on the serious health concerns
that arise from trafficking. Participants came from the health, NGO, and
government sectors of 17 Eastern European countries. They drafted and issued
the Budapest
Declaration (www.usembassy.hu/cee-hub/programs/declaration.doc), which
details an appropriate health response to the problem of trafficking. Background
information and speeches from the conference are also posted.
Stop-Traffic
www.stop-traffic.org
This international listserv addresses human rights abuses associated with
trafficking in persons for forced labor, servitude, and slavery around the
world. The listserv maintains a strong emphasis on public health issues
associated with trafficking. Also posted at the site is a compendium of
resources related to trafficking, including bibliographies and links to
NGOs, international organizations, and governments that are actively combating
trafficking.
United Nations (UN)
www.un.org
In recognition of the growing problem of trafficking, the United Nations
adopted the “Protocol
to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women
and Children” in November 2000 (www.uncjin.org/Documents/Conventions/dcatoc/final_documents_2/Prottrafe.pdf).
The UN also sponsors a Global
Programme Against Trafficking in Human Beings (GPAT) (www.unodc.org/unodc/en/trafficking_human_beings.html).
GPAT promotes effective criminal justice–related responses to trafficking,
collects data on trafficking trends and routes, identifies best practices
used to combat trafficking, promotes awareness-raising, and strengthens
victim support.
United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
www.unicef.org/protection/index_exploitation.html
As part of its commitment to ending sexual abuse and the commercial sexual
exploitation of children, UNICEF is working to end trafficking. Available
online is a book conveying the words
and experiences of children involved in the sex trade (www.unicef.org/publications/index_5623.html)
and materials from the 2nd
World Congress against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
(www.unicef.org/events/yokohama).
Child Sexual Abuse
Advocates for Youth
www.advocatesforyouth.org
Advocates for Youth works both in the United States and in developing countries
to create programs and advocate for policies that help young people make
informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health.
The organization provides information, training, and strategic assistance
to NGOs in Africa and Latin America. Of special interest at this website
are fact
sheets on sexual abuse and gender bias during childhood (http://advocatesforyouth.org/publications/freepubs.htm).
Child Centre for Children
at Risk in the Baltic Sea Region
www.childcentre.baltinfo.org/
The objective of the Child Centre is to increase awareness of services and
methods to protect and rehabilitate children victimized by sexual exploitation,
children living in the street, and children in institutions. It allows organizations
working in the region to exchange information on research, projects, seminars,
and conferences.
ID21:
Gender Violence in Schools
www.id21.org/education/gender_violence/index.html
This webpage is part of a research project to raise awareness about gender
violence in schools and disseminate information on initiatives to combat
it. Users can access articles on the extent of abuse in schools and interventions
to reduce it, including a special issue of Insights on sexual harassment
and abuse in schools in sub-Saharan Africa.
International Society for Prevention
of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN)
www.ispcan.org
This multidisciplinary international organization works to prevent and treat
child abuse, neglect, and exploitation around the world. Of special
interest is a series
of three papers on the causes and impacts of sexual abuse, intervention
efforts for victims and offenders, and prevention efforts (www.ispcan.org/Resources/Literature%20Search%20Project.htm).
ISPCAN also publishes the international journal Child Abuse & Neglect.
Sex workers
Bay Area Sex Workers Advocacy Network
(BAYSWAN)
www.bayswan.org
A U.S.-based coalition that advocates on behalf of sex industry workers,
BAYSWAN sponsors the Prostitution Education Network (PENet). PENet is an
information service for sex workers, activists, and educators that covers
worldwide news and issues including human rights, trafficking, decriminalization,
violence, and pornography. The site also provides links to sex workers'
rights organizations around the world.
Coalition Against Trafficking
in Women (CATW)
www.catwinternational.org/
An international, nongovernmental organization, CATW works against all forms
of sexual exploitation including rape, incest, prostitution, sexual trafficking,
sex tourism, sexual harassment, and pornography. CATW holds consultative
status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and considers
itself an online resource center for organizations fighting against sexual
exploitation. This site, which is available in English, French, Italian,
Portuguese, and Spanish, includes a wide variety of statements, speeches,
and fact sheets, personal testimony from victims of sexual exploitation,
a list of organizations that offer services to trafficked and prostituted
women, links to related sites around the world, and reports on recent conferences.
Medical
Advocates for Social Justice: Sexworker Health
www.medadvocates.org/marg/sexworkers/csw.html
A nonprofit professional organization based in the United States, Medical
Advocates for Social Justice advocates for and facilitates access to appropriate
health care for disenfranchised populations, including sex workers. The
Sexworker Health page provides extensive links to recent journal articles
and conference papers, organized by topic and region. Subjects covered are:
contributing factors to disease and other harm, HIV immunity studies, infectious
disease epidemiology, national studies and strategies, screening and testing,
infectious disease prevention, clinical management, and human rights. Links
to other organizations around the world also are provided.
Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP)
www.nswp.org
An informal alliance of sex workers and organizations founded in 1991, NSWP
shares information among projects that provide health and welfare services
to sex workers around the world. The site posts news items about sex worker
programs, lists upcoming conferences, and posts reports from past conferences.
Many publications concerning sex workers health and safety are posted at
the site, including Making Sex Work Safe, a handbook on how to design
and implement health programs for sex workers, and analyses of AIDS prevention
programs in developing countries.
Research for Sex Work Network
(RSW)
www.med.vu.nl/hcc/rfsw.htm
This annual publication reports on research on and the development of appropriate
interventions for sex workers and their clients to reduce transmission of
STIs, including HIV/AIDS. Designed for both public health professionals
and sex workers' organizations, the newsletter has focused previous
issues on human rights, migration and mobility, risk of violence, health/STI
services, empowerment, and peer education. Electronic copies of the newsletter
are available for download in PDF format, and hardcopies can be ordered
for free.
Sex-Work Forum
http://archives.healthdev.net/sex-work/
This email list is one of many sponsored by HealthDEV, a Swiss-based electronic
forum that is designed to help people and communities around the world exchange
information about HIV/AIDS. The sex-work forum has gone beyond the problem
of HIV/AIDS to discuss a wide variety of issues that are relevant to sex
work, including legalization, psychological trauma, and other health issues.
You can join the Sex-Work Forum by sending a blank message to join-sex-work@healthdev.net.
Mental health
1st World Congress
on Womens Mental Health
www.medscape.com/viewprogram/843
Coverage of selected sessions from a womens mental health conference held
in Berlin on March 27–31, 2001, is available. Topics include differences
in mens and womens mental health, premenstrual disorders, depression during
and after pregnancy, schizophrenia, and menopause.
Global Network for Research
in Mental and Neurological Health
http://193.164.179.95/imhpd2/
The Global Network maintains an online database on mental health policies
and services in both developed and developing nations. The database is designed
to support evidence-based decision making, identify urgent problems and
potential solutions, help develop a common language for mental health policy
and care, and supply data for mental health situation reports.
Mental Help Net
www.mentalhelp.net/
A U.S. information service directed both to medical professionals and consumers,
Mental Help Net offers information on a wide variety of mental health disorders,
including anxiety and depression. For each disorder, this comprehensive
site includes facts on symptoms, treatment, online resources, organizations,
and online support groups. Of special interest are articles on recognizing
the range of mood disorders in women (www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&&id=129&&cn=0&&clnt%3Dclnt00001&&)
and on women's
greater risk of mental health problems (www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&&id=128&&cn=0&&clnt%3Dclnt00001&&).
National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): Women and Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov/HealthInformation/depwomen.cfm
This U.S. government agency sponsors research and education on a wide range
of mental health issues. Posted at this site are patient education materials
on the symptoms and treatment of depression
(www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm) and a review of gender
differences in mental health disorders (www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/womensoms.cfm).
Project
Atlas: Mapping Mental Health Resources in the World
www.cvdinfobase.ca/mh-atlas/
This interactive site presents global, regional, and country data on mental
health resources that was collected by WHO in 2000. The goal of the site
is to disseminate and encourage further examination of the data and to stimulate
debate on mental health needs. The site allows users to generate and print
out maps, charts, and tables.
World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH)
www.wfmh.org
WFMH is a worldwide grassroots advocacy and public education organization
dedicated to advancing the prevention and proper treatment of mental and
emotional disorders. The organization heightens public awareness of mental
disorders, advances concerns of the mentally ill before international forums,
encourages collaboration among governments and NGOs, and supports the efforts
of member organizations at national and regional levels.
World Health Organization
(WHO) Programme on Mental Health
www.who.int/mental_health/
WHO's mental health program has a special
interest in women (www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/genderwomen/en/).
The website contains educational
materials (www.who.int/msa/mnh/ems/primacare/edukit/index.htm) designed
by WHO to help primary care providers assess and treat common mental health
problems such as depression and anxiety, as well as a fact
sheet (www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs248/en/) on mental health
issues for women. WHO also has sponsored a landmark,
14-country study (www.who.int/msa/mnh/ems/primacare/ppghc/ppghc.htm)
of the form, frequency, and outcome of psychological problems seen in general
health care settings. WHO research into the public
health burden of disease (www.who.int/msa/mnh/ems/dalys/intro.htm)
has established that mental and neurological problems account for 10.6 percent
of the world's disease burden and 28 percent of all years of life lived
with disability. For women in developing regions, depression ranks first
and suicide fourth among the leading causes of disease burden.
Sexuality
EngenderHealth
Online Minicourse: Sexuality and Sexual Health
www.engenderhealth.org/res/onc/index.html
This online, self-instructional course is designed to help reproductive
health providers incorporate a focus on sexuality into their services. A
series of six modules explains why health services should address sexuality,
explores basic concepts of sex and gender, describes sexual anatomy and
physiology, discusses sexual response and sexual practices, reviews sexual
dysfunction, and offers practical advice on how to talk to clients about
sexuality. Each module includes a quiz, tips on how to apply the module's
content in everyday health services, and educational aids for client counseling
and staff education.
Sexuality Information and Education
Council of the United States (SIECUS)
www.siecus.org
A nonprofit, education and advocacy organization, SIECUS develops, collects,
and disseminates sexuality information, promotes comprehensive sexuality
education, and advocates the right of individuals to make responsible sexual
choices. In 1993, SIECUS launched an international sexuality education initiative
which encourages family planning and population programs to attend to the
sexual needs of clients and to incorporate sexuality education into their
activities. This site provides guidance for clinicians on the impact of
contraceptives on sexuality, how to take a client's sexual history, and
the skills needed for sexual counseling. It also includes information on
the connection between sexuality and reproductive health and the World Association
of Sexology's Declaration of Sexual Rights.
Gender analysis
Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA)
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/equality
Canada is an international leader in pursuing gender equality, and gender
equality is a priority for all of CIDA's programs. This section of the CIDA
website defines the concepts of gender equality and gender equity, outlines
CIDA policies in this area, and describes good practices and practical tools
that CIDA has developed to implement those policies. It also includes an
interactive, online course on gender equality. Much attention is given to
gender analysis as a tool for understanding local context and promoting
gender equality. Internet links are provided for training, research tools,
and other gender resources. Also available in French.
Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO):
The Socioeconomic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA)
www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/SUSTDEV/seaga
Initiated in 1993, the SEAGA Programme operationalizes gender analysis by
providing practical methods and tools for development specialists. The SEAGA
Package is large and comprehensive, and is designed to be adapted to local
circumstances. It includes detailed handbooks for policy makers working
at the macro level, managers working at the organizational level, and field
workers active at the community level, as well as training materials and
sector guides. The SEAGA site is available in Arabic, Chinese, English,
French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.
World
Bank: Gender and Social Assessment Website
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTGENDER/0,,contentMDK
:20260648~menuPK:489221~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:336868,00.html
Social Assessment (SA) methodology is the bank's approach to address the
social dimensions of development throughout the project cycle and at the
policy level. In recognition of the importance of gender issues for the
equity, efficiency, and sustainability of many projects, the bank now advocates
integrating gender into commonly used social assessment tools such as stakeholder
workshops, focus group discussions, and social mapping exercises. This website
discusses the revisions in data gathering and analysis needed to assess
gender issues and presents a low-cost approach to gender analysis.
