DDR is meant to bridge the gap between child soldiering and civilian life. The challenges in the delivery of effective DDR programs serve as barriers to adequate support for child soldiers. Increasingly, research has also considered the gender-specific challenges and barriers that former girl soldiers face and the limited (if any) support they receive through DDR initiatives. DDR supports for girl soldiers who have become mothers are even less likely to meet their complex needs. As such, ‘girl soldiers as mothers’ and their children remain outside the dominant DDR discourse and subsequently do not get the attention, they need in DDR programming documents. While the discourse within DDR programs has progressed to include sexual violence and some gender-specific needs, these additions are insufficient for meeting the diverse needs of girl child soldiers and their children. The result is girl soldiers who become mothers and their children remain unprepared for returning to their communities or society, and their communities continue to be unprepared to receive them.

No description available.

Background: While substantial progress has been made globally towards achieving United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) on child mortality, the decline is not sufficient to reach the targets set for 2015. The South Asian region, which includes India, was to achieve the MDG 4 target of 39 deaths per 1000 live births by 2015 but was estimated to have reached only 61 by 2011. A part of this under-achievement is due to the gender-differentials in child mortality in South-Asia. The inherent biological advantage of girls, reflected inlower mortality rates as compared to boys globally, is neutralized by their sociocultural disadvantage in India. The availability of technology for prenatal sex determination has promoted sex-linked abortions. Current government efforts include a law that regulates the use of ultrasound and other diagnostic techniquesfor prenatal testing of sex and a conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme thatinvests a certain amount of funds at the birth of a girl child to attain maturity when the girl turns 18 years of age. This thesis describes the trends in genderspecific mortality during the period 1992-2011 and gender differentials in causes of death among children (paper I), compares gender differentials in child survivalby socio-economic status of the family (paper II), explores the contribution of non-specific effects of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination to the excess mortality among girls (paper III), and evaluates the impact of CCT schemes of the government and explores community attitudes and practices related to discrimination of girls (paper IV). Methods and Results: This study is set in Ballabgarh Health and DemographicSurveillance System (HDSS) of Haryana State in North India that covered a population of 88,861 across 28 villages in 2011. This study uses the electronic database that houses all individuals enumerated in the HDSS for the period 1992-2011 along with other demographic, socio-economic and health utilization variables. Sex ratio at birth (SRB) was adverse for girls throughout the study period, varying between 821 to 866 girls per 1000 boys. Overall, under-five mortality rates during the period 1992-2011 remained stagnant due to the increasing neonatal mortality rate and decreasing mortality in subsequent age groups. Mortality rates among girls were 1.6 to 2 times higher than boys during the post-neonatal period (1-11 months) as well as in the 1-4 year age group. Girls reported significantly higher mortality rates due to prematurity (relative risk of 1.52; 95% CI = 1.01-2.29); diarrhoea (2.29;1.59-3.29), and malnutrition (3.37; 2.05-5.53) during 2002-2007. The SRB and neonatal mortality rate were consistently adverse for girls in the advantaged groups. In the 1-36 month age group, girl children had higher mortality than boys in all SES groups. The age at vaccination for and coverage with ivabstractBacillus Calmette–Guérin, DTP, polio and measles vaccines did not differ by sex. There was significant excess mortality among girls as compared to boys in the period after immunization with DTP, for both primary (hazard ratio of 1.65; 95% CI 1.17-2.32) and DTPb (2.21; 1.24-3.93) vaccinations until the receipt of the next vaccine. No significant excess mortality among girls was noted after exposure to BCG (1.06; 0.67-1.67) or measles (1.34; 0.85-2.12) vaccine. A community survey showed poor awareness of specific government schemes for girl children. Four-fifths of the community wanted government to help families with girl children financially. In-depth interviews of government programme implementers revealed the themes of “conspiracy of silence” that was being maintained by general population, underplaying of the pervasiveness of the problem coupled with a passive implementation of the programme and “a clash between politicians trying to cash in on the public sentiment of need for subsidies for girl children and a bureaucratic approachof accountability which imposed lot of conditionalities and documentations to access these benefits”. While there has been some improvement in investment in girl children for immunization and education during the period 1992 to 2010, these were also seen among boys of the same houses and daughters in-laws who come from outside the state where such schemes are not in place. Conclusions: In the study area, girl children continue to be disadvantaged a tall periods in their childhood including in utero. In the short run, empowerment of individuals by education and increasing wealth without a concomitant change in culture of son-preference is harmful as it promotes the use of sex determination technology and female feticide to achieve desired family size and composition. There is a need to carefully review the use of health-enhancing technologies including vaccines so that they do not cause more harm to society. Current government efforts to address the gender imbalance are not working, as these are not rooted in a larger social context.

Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013 / gm2015 / Centre for Human Rights / LLM / Unrestricted

This dissertation examines the problems facing adolescent girls in the pursuit of their right to education and this especially in South Africa. It presents the right to education as a human right belonging to everyone; not a privilege reserved for a category of person. The right to education is a fundamental human right and an empowerment right because it contributes to the achievement of other rights. The dissertation describes the provisions of relevant international and regional human rights instruments and assesses whether South African laws, policies and practices on the ground adhere to the requirements’ of international and regional law. It assert that, though there has been provision for universal and compulsory primary schooling and higher participation rate for girls, big challenges particularly for adolescent girls are still prevalent, particularly after primary school even though the cracks may appear very subtle and almost none issue. This dissertation shows that to solve these problems and make the right to education realizable for every child, the South African government should consider the cultural and religious environment of the adolescent girl and also renew its commitments and strategies designed to improve their retention rate and advancement at school. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / gm2014 / Centre for Human Rights / restricted

Magister Legum - LLM / Forced marriages and child marriages1 are a global and major concern when dealing with girl children’s and women’s rights. UNICEF statistics2 show that in South Africa alone 1% of girls were married by 15 years and 6% by 18 years.3While these numbers are insignificant, they arguably contribute to a global crisis where girls of primary school age are forced into marriage.4 This mini-thesis will focus on ukuthwala, a customary practice which is prevalent in the rural parts of South Africa, where girls and young women are married off. Moral reasons exist for the custom, however in recent years it has changed radically. Ukuthwala is most prevalent in the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal provinces.6 It has been described as a ‘romantic mock abduction’ of an unmarried woman by a man who intends to marry her.7 According to Bekker and Koyana8 the procedure for ukuthwala is as follows: ‘The intending bridegroom, with one or two friends, will waylay the intended bride in the neighbourhood of her own home, quite often late in the day, towards sunset or at early dusk, and they will “forcibly” take her to the young man’s home. Sometimes the girl is “caught” unawares, but in many instances, she is caught according to plan and agreement. In either case, she will put up a show of resistance to suggest to onlookers that it is all against her will when in fact, it is hardly ever so’. While ukuthwala involves kidnapping a girl or young woman, the intention is to compel her or her family to endorse marriage negotiations.9 This therefore means, by custom, the suitor should report the thwala to his kraal head in order to commence lobolo10 negotiations.11 During this time consensual sex with the young girl is forbidden. Koyana and Bekker further explain that the girl or young woman is immediately placed in the midst and care of the womenfolk; and is treated with ‘utmost kindness and respect’,12 until such time that the marriage requirements are met.

Stakeholders in Education are concerned with the continuous low enrolment of girls in schoolin Northern Nigeria. Studies have shown that religion has had a negative impact on schoolenrolment of girls. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationshipbetween religion and school enrolment of girls. The study also investigated other factors thataffect enrolment of girls in school in northern Nigeria. The theoretical framework for thestudy was Adam Smith’s Human Capital Development Theory. Results of research showed asignificant relationship between education and five variables (Religion, culture, poverty,violence, and poor policy implementation) which hinder increase in enrolment. Findings maybe used to develop strategies to increase enrolment of girls in school in the future.

No description available.

Thesis (M. A.(English Studies)) --University of Limpopo, 2016 / The primary aim of this study is to examine the oppression and repression of African women through the collusion of indigenous African patriarchy and colonial, imperialist values. The selected novels are Nervous Conditions (1988) and God’s Bits of Wood (1960) by Tsitsi Dangarembga and Sembene Ousmane, respectively. The study focuses on the roles played by both African and European values in the class, gender and racial oppression of African women. Using the theoretical frameworks of Marxism and Feminism, the study evaluates issues of women’s oppression, repression and marginalisation. The selected literary texts are closely analysed with a view to exploring and establishing the nature and form of African women’s multiple oppressions through the connivance between African patriarchy and European colonial hegemonic norms. Lastly, the study aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the topical issue of African women’s oppression. Keywords: Colonial values; African patriarchy; Hegemonic norms; Oppression; Oppression; Marginalisation; Collaboration; Women and the girl child

"In Zimbabwe the sexual abuse and exploitation of the girl child remains high. Recently the state has acknowledged the problem of sexual abuse and exploitation of the girl child and has indicated the willingness to step up campaigns against it. This campaign, however, targets school children in primary and secondary schools. There has also been an increase of sexual abuse of children in schools by the teachers and other staff members. The family as an institution has facilitated child abuse and exploitation in Zimbabwe through cultural practices and customs as a survival tactic. Some commentators have directly linked the revival of these cultural practices to the economic crisis that has resulted in food shortages around the country. These traditional practices include the marriages of the child to older men in exchange for food or money known as kuzvarira, kuripa ngozi, or pledging a girl into marriage and virginity testing. Some of the practices are, however, not directly linked to the prevailing economic crisis, but are just practiced as a tradition like chiramu. These practices have become more common amongst the Shona, the largest tribe constituting at least 76% of the population, and predominantly patriarchal. Theorists of patriarchy have directed their attention to the subordinate status of women and found their explanation in the male need to dominate the female. Although Zimbabwe as a state has shown a commitment to protecting children against sexual abuse by enactment of laws criminalising involvement of the girl child in prostitution, incest and rape of girls, little has been done to ensure that forced and early marriages of the girl child are curtailed. Virginity testing is not criminalised and is also currently being practised in rural parts of the country on a wide scale. ... Chapter one introduces the problem of child sexual abuse and exploitation of the girl child as a universal problem and gives a structure of the study. Chapter two discusses the concept of a child, sexual abuse and exploitation as a human rights problem. It analyses the protection of children under international human rights law. Chapter three gives a broad overview of the relationship between culture and children's rights. The role of the family will also be discussed as articulated in the human rights instruments. Chapter four highlights and discusses the cultural practices that result in sexual abuse and exploitation of the girl child in Zimbabwe. The legal framework protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation and the shortcomings will be highlighted. The impact of such sexual abuse and exploitation on the overall development of the child will also be discussed. Chapter five makes recommendations by looking at the developments from other countries on the rights of the girl child and cultural practises that result in sexual abuse." -- Introduction. / Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2006. / Prepared under the supervision of Dr. B. Twinomugisha, Faculty of Law, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/academic_pro/llm1/dissertations.html / Centre for Human Rights / LLM