Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:27:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Murilo Chaves Vilarinho.pdf: 651969 bytes, checksum: f72c47d0675bfe768145a2483b7649c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-23 / This dissertation is an analysis from the reports of two women who broke with the patriarchal tradition of their societies and resolved to fight for the dignity of women. We speak of Mukhtar Mai in Pakistan and Senegal Khady Koita. The first victim of gang rape was ordered by the tribal council of Meerwala in Pakistan. And the second had her clitoris removed at 7 years old in a traditional ritual purification procedure in Senegal. So, each in its context, both women have rebelled against the acts suffered and denounced the violence is committed in the name of tradition, or honor the man. Denouncing the violence were the world, a feat that became a symbol for the human rights of women. Mukhtar Mai and Khady gained fame locally and internationally in the fight for an end to honor killings and female genital mutilation. It's about attitudes to break with tradition, and the fight passed the reflections of this work. That is, in light of feminist theories, the field of Human Rights (formed by means of treaties, conventions and humanitarian letters), and human rights of women who seek to understand the break with the patterns of subordination in patriarchal societies entrenched like remember Therborn (2006), and they represent the achievements of these individuals for Human Rights in general and the condition of women in particular. / Esta dissertação de mestrado é uma análise a partir dos relatos de duas mulheres que romperam com a tradição patriarcalista de suas sociedades e resolveram lutar a favor da dignidade da mulher. Fala-se da paquistanesa Mukhtar Mai e da senegalesa Khady Koita. A primeira foi vítima de estupro coletivo ordenado pelo conselho tribal de Meerwala no Paquistão. A segunda teve seu clitóris retirado aos sete anos de idade num ritual de purificação, procedimento tradicional no Senegal. Assim sendo, cada qual em seu contexto, ambas mulheres, se rebelaram contra os atos sofridos e denunciaram a violência que é cometida em nome da tradição, ou seja, da honra do homem. Ao denunciar ao mundo as violências sofridas, um feito que se transformou em símbolo para os direitos humanos das mulheres, Mukhtar Mai e Khady Koita ganharam notoriedade local e internacional na luta pelo fim dos crimes de honra e mutilação genital feminina. É sobre as atitudes de ruptura com a tradição e sobre a luta destas mulheres que recaem as reflexões deste trabalho, ou seja, é à luz das teorias feministas, do campo dos Direitos Humanos (formado por meio dos tratados, convenções e cartas humanitárias), e dos direitos humanos das mulheres que se buscou compreender a quebra com os padrões de submissão em sociedades de patriarcalismo entrincheirado como lembra Therborn (2006), e o significado dos feitos desses indivíduos para os Direitos Humanos em geral, e para a condição feminina em específico.

Over 60% of those living with HIV/AIDS are women, the majority of them in their sexual and reproductive years (UNAIDS, 2006). With antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, most of them are living longer and healthier to engage in sexual and reproductive activities (WHO, 2006). This study explored the sexual and reproductive decisions and experiences of women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) in Abuja, Nigeria. Only those who became pregnant and had a child after being diagnosed with HIV participated in the study. The study was an interview based qualitative research. The design of the interview guide was informed by the PEN-3 Model (Airhihenbuwa, 1995). A combination of purposive and snowball sampling technique was used to select 17 WLWHA aged between 26 and 41. Most of them had limited education, only the 3 of them with post secondary education had professional jobs; the rest are either housewives or petty traders. Most of the women had reduced sexual desire but felt compelled to acquiesce to their husband’s sexual demands out of cultural and religious sense of duty, fear that he would have sex outside marriage and/or beat them. While a few used condoms, most either did not use condom or used it inconsistently. Condoms were used mainly to prevent re-infection with another strain of HIV or to prevent infecting a negative partner. Reason for non use of condom includes reduced sexual pleasure with condoms, belief that condoms are used not for wives and that being on ARV precludes the need to use condom. Often, condom negotiation leads to violence. Most of the women still wanted more children and did not use contraceptives. Among the few who used contraceptives, condoms, hormone injections, intrauterine device (IUD) and tubal ligation are their methods of choice. The women chose to have babies to secure their marriage, fulfill maternal instinct and to “leave something behind”. Their decisions were informed by the belief that ARV would keep them alive, while Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMCTC) programs would prevent infection to their babies. To conceive, they had unprotected sex during ovulation. Two serodiscordant couples used syringes to inseminate. Most of them had experienced obstetric challenges including infertility, miscarriages, preterm births, and infant deaths. Most of the women bottle-fed to prevent infecting their babies, however they were under tremendous pressure to breastfeed due to the cultural value attached to breastfeeding. Women living with HIV/AIDS in Abuja Nigeria, had unmet sexual and reproductive health needs. Their sexual and reproductive decisions were influenced by their individual circumstances, including their level of education, poverty, cultural and family influences, partner’s HIV status, stigma and discrimination, and access to PMTCT and ARV programs. To meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of WLWHA, program planners and policy makers should take these factors into consideration and ensure that programs are comprehensive and integrated.

The study investigated Zimbabwean Christian and Muslim women who had experienced domestic violence with a view to finding out the extent to which these women used provisions of the Domestic Violence Act of 2006. The study was conducted in urban Masvingo and its surroundings. The methodology applied to the empirical investigation was qualitative and was informed by the phenomenological, feminist and pragmatic theoretical frameworks. Data was collected, by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews, from 30 participants, 22 Christian and 8 Muslim, who were selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques. In investigating the women’s experiences, some questions guided the study. These include: Where and to what extent does a select group of Christian and Muslim women who fall victim to domestic violence normally seek help? How do religious and cultural beliefs and practices influence the response to domestic violence by the abused as well as those to whom they report? To what extent do religious communities prevent selected victims of domestic violence from seeking legal assistance? Data was analysed by coding responses according to themes. The study revealed that the participants perceived domestic violence as having diverse causes and most of them saw their religion as crucial in addressing their plight. It emerged that a majority of the participants sought help from their religious communities as well as relatives and friends. Mixed responses emanated from these sources of help. The most common response, based largely on religious and cultural beliefs, was to encourage participants to avoid reporting to authorities. It also emerged that most of the participants were not willing to seek help from the police, courts or legal practitioners to seek redress because of the advice they received as well as their own internalised beliefs. Religious, social, and economic factors prevented most participants from appealing to provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.It was concluded that the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act had limited usefulness for participants because of religious, social and economic factors. It was recommended that if relevant stakeholders could jointly work together, domestic violence would be alleviated. Recommendations for further research were also made. / Religious Studies & Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)

The study investigated Zimbabwean Christian and Muslim women who had experienced domestic violence with a view to finding out the extent to which these women used provisions of the Domestic Violence Act of 2006. The study was conducted in urban Masvingo and its surroundings. The methodology applied to the empirical investigation was qualitative and was informed by the phenomenological, feminist and pragmatic theoretical frameworks. Data was collected, by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews, from 30 participants, 22 Christian and 8 Muslim, who were selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques. In investigating the women’s experiences, some questions guided the study. These include: Where and to what extent does a select group of Christian and Muslim women who fall victim to domestic violence normally seek help? How do religious and cultural beliefs and practices influence the response to domestic violence by the abused as well as those to whom they report? To what extent do religious communities prevent selected victims of domestic violence from seeking legal assistance? Data was analysed by coding responses according to themes. The study revealed that the participants perceived domestic violence as having diverse causes and most of them saw their religion as crucial in addressing their plight. It emerged that a majority of the participants sought help from their religious communities as well as relatives and friends. Mixed responses emanated from these sources of help. The most common response, based largely on religious and cultural beliefs, was to encourage participants to avoid reporting to authorities. It also emerged that most of the participants were not willing to seek help from the police, courts or legal practitioners to seek redress because of the advice they received as well as their own internalised beliefs. Religious, social, and economic factors prevented most participants from appealing to provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.It was concluded that the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act had limited usefulness for participants because of religious, social and economic factors. It was recommended that if relevant stakeholders could jointly work together, domestic violence would be alleviated. Recommendations for further research were also made. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)

RESUMÉ IN ENGLISH ENGLISH TITLE OF THE THESIS: OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE CONVENTION ON ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN The thesis is concerned with the Optional Protocol to the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (adopted in 1999 and entered into force on December 22nd, 2000). This international treaty offers women two significant mechanisms to protect their rights - the possibility to submit an individual communication to the Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women against a State Party to both the Convention and the Protocol and the competence of the Committee to carry out investigations into grave and systematic violations of rights set out in the Convention. The first chapter focuses on the context of and reasons for the adoption of the Protocol. Firstly, the CEDAW, its origins and implementation mechanisms are introduced. The need for an optional protocol clearly arose from the insufficiency of the protection mechanisms enshrined in CEDAW itself in the quest of protection of women in their everyday encounters with discrimination. The chapter describes the new implementation mechanisms introduced by the Protocol. Furthermore, the second and third chapters compare the protection mechanisms laid down in the Protocol and similar...

La violencia obstétrica, constituye una problemática abordada desde distintos ámbitos y regulada en muchos países a nivel internacional. Los derechos humanos vulnerados que se vinculan con actos de violencia obstétrica han sido abordados y trabajados por distintos comités, informes y protocolos dentro del Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos y el Sistema Universal de Derechos Humanos. El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar la situación de la violencia obstétrica y como el estado peruano ha venido dando respuesta frente a esta problemática. Ello, a partir del caso de Eulogia Guzmán y su hijo Sergio ante la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos. Este caso engloba un conjunto de hechos vinculados con vulneraciones a los derechos humanos, tales como el derecho a la salud, derecho a la vida, derecho a la dignidad humana, derecho a la salud materna y el ejercicio de los derechos humanos de las mujeres. Pues se evidencia que nuestro país tenía obligaciones vigentes en materia de estos derechos cuando aconteció este caso. En ese sentido Eulogia termina siendo víctima de la inacción e ineficacia del estado para garantizar el ejercicio de derechos plenamente reconocidos. / Obstetric violence constitutes a problem approached from different spaces and regulated in many countries at an international level. The violated human rights linked to acts of obstetric violence have been signed and worked on by different committees, reports, and protocols within the Inter-American Human Rights System and the Universal Human Rights System. The objective of this research is to analyze the situation of obstetric violence and how the Peruvian State has been responding to this problem. This, based on the case of Eulogia Guzmán and his son Sergio vs. the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. This case included a number of facts related to human rights violations, such as the right to health, the right to life, the right to human dignity, the right to maternal health, and the exercise of women's human rights. According to that, it is evident that our country had obligations regarding these rights when this case happened. In this sense, Eulogia ends up being a victim of the inaction and ineffectiveness of the state to guarantee the exercise of fully recognized rights. / Tesis

"This paper is therefore inspired to look at education with respect to girl children in Africa. This paper, by drawing inspriation from other settings, is also motivated by the need to find solutions on how best the rights of the girl child can be protected in conjuction with the educational policy of African countries. ... The study is divided into six chapters. Chapter one provides the context in which the study is set, the objectives of the study and its importance. Chapter two examines the importance of the right to education and in education and takes note of the issue of discrimination with respect to girl child education in Africa. In chapter three various international treaties that concern provisions on education and the discrimination factor as to gender are identified. Also in the international milieu, the role of international bodies in the effective and efficient insurance of girl child education is included. Chapter four examines on a regional level, the extent to which the African Commission has effectively monitored the provision of the African Chater. The African Children's Charter and the Draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women (the Draft Women's Protocol) in Africa are also discussed in relation to provisions in the African Charter and work done on girl child education by the African Commission. In this chapter, a comparative study is also done of instruments and the implementation mechanisms offered by the Inter-American and European systems to the African human rights system in terms of the girl child education. This is so because in terms of experience, jurisprudence and institutions, these systems are considered to be more advanced than the African human rights sytem. Finally chapter five discusses girl child education on a national level in Africa. This chapter focuses on the experiences of South Africa, Egypt and Cameroon. Educational policy and other national legislative instruments such as the constitutions of these countries are included. In the conclusion, the paper puts forward recommendations to assist new and old African democracies in advancing an administrative and political approach to the issue of discrimination with respect to girl child education." -- Chapter 1. / Prepared under the supervision of Dr. Enid Hill at the Department of Political Sciences, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, The American University in Cairo, Egypt / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/academic_pro/llm1/dissertations.html / Centre for Human Rights / LLM