World Economic Forum has just released the Global Gender Gap Report 2007 (See the full report at http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Gender%20Gap/index.htm. The Report examines four critical areas of inequality between men and women, namely, economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment and health and survival. The Gender Gap Index assesses countries on how well they are dividing their resources and opportunities among their male and female populations, regardless of the overall levels of these resources and opportunities. By providing a comprehensible framework for assessing and comparing global gender gaps it serves as a catalyst for greater awareness as well as greater exchange between policymakers. At the top of the report are Sweden, Norway and Finland. IPPF South Asia Region countries are ranked at the bottom in the report (Bangladesh -116, India – 122, Iran -123, Maldives – 106, Nepal – 114, Pakistan 126). The challenges for our MAs in this context are huge!
Research Summary: Despite the fact that HIV and human trafficking share many causal and consequential factors, including gender inequalities, poverty, lack of economic opportunities for women, stigma and discrimination, rights violations and a life without dignity, neither HIV/AIDS nor human trafficking have been integrated or mainstreamed adequately, either at policy or programmatic level in South Asian countries. One of the fundamental weaknesses in explaining and exploring the linkages between trafficking and HIV is a lack of adequate data. This is attributable to the historical absence of a systematic approach to examining dual vulnerabilities, the highly sensitive nature of both issues and the strong stigma attached both to survivors of trafficking and to people living with HIV. There is a need to look beyond present interventions that seek only to create greater awareness regarding HIV/AIDS or trafficking and to provide care and support services to communities such as commercial sex workers or migrants. In south Asia, there is a need for integrated, coordinated efforts to address human trafficking and HIV/AIDS and to reduce the underlying social, economic and gender inequalities and violence. Interventions on HIV/AIDS and human trafficking may be divided into three general areas. These are (i) prevention of human trafficking and HIV infection including addressing stigma and discrimination (ii) treatment, care and support of those trafficked and affected by HIV and (iii) advocacy. These findings and recommendations are coming from a recent research report named Human Trafficking and HIV- Exploring vulnerabilities in South Asia published by UNDP. The report covers all IPPF SAR countries except Iran and Maldives. The report can be viewed at:
http://www.youandaids.org/8ICAAP/Human%0Trafficking%20and%20HIV%20(UNDP%202007)_Embargoed.PDF
Resources: Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers, published by the INFO Project at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health provides evidence-based guidance to clinic-based health care professionals in developing countries on providing contraceptive methods. Download your copy from: http://www.infoforhealth.org/globalhandbook/
News: Microbicides 2008 to be held at New Delhi from February 24- 27, 2008 will provide updates on the current state of art and the likely future scenario about the ongoing research and development efforts in the area of microbicides in different parts of the world. See participation details at:
http://www.microbicides2008.com/
Events: HIV Congress 2008 will be held at Mumbai, March 21-23, 2008. The theme of this Congress is to share the advanced knowledge in the field of HIV Medicine. See details at:
http://www.hivcongress2008.com/