Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Design in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at Cape Peninsula University of Technology / This study highlights the preliminary findings of an investigation into ergonomic considerations in the design of women’s protective clothing. The study investigates the validity of an assumption that there is a dearth in the product offerings of women’s protective wear that are ergonomically designed with a good fit, and offer acceptable levels of comfort for women performing outdoors in the construction industry. The research employs a qualitative research method – including interviews with key actors such as women working in the construction industry, and manufacturers. Pertinent psychological and physiological factors relating to the current protective wear are also interrogated herein. For example, the unique morphological features associated with steatopygia and gynaeoid body types are common in the sub-region, and yet not fully accommodated in the design of contextresponsive work wear. The prevailing attitudes among selected manufacturers and suppliers to motivate them to offer superior products for women in the construction industry are explored. A higher adoption rate of the redesigned women’s protective wear could correlate to reductions in downtime associated with general occupational health and safety issues; as well as an impact of low levels of comfort, protection and garment fit. Similarly, the redesigned garments could inform the development of improved protective wear for women, and ultimately facilitate higher productivity in the work environment. Subsequently, a boosted self-confidence and higher levels of motivation occasioned by a positive body image of women workers would validate the efficacy of the intended ergonomic design intervention. Lastly, the thesis discusses sociotechnical strategies for generating high fidelity data for applications in new product development for women’s protective wear. Furthermore, the findings and recommendations are discussed herein; this is made possible by the data collected.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2016-09-19T17:15:52Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) dissertação juliana Final.pdf: 3802932 bytes, checksum: 1aae61e6231e056e5ce12cc6192887a6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-19T17:15:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) dissertação juliana Final.pdf: 3802932 bytes, checksum: 1aae61e6231e056e5ce12cc6192887a6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / CAPES / Compreender o universo do trabalho feminino das feirantes da Sulanca na cidade de Caruaru e seu papel no desenvolvimento do Agreste de Pernambuco foi o caminho traçado nesta pesquisa. A feira da Sulanca está ligada ao polo de confecções do Agreste e a cidade de Caruaru está inserida nesse polo de desenvolvimento regional. O foco da pesquisa é o papel das mulheres que atuam na feira desempenhando ações fundamentais para a atividade econômica. As mulheres atuam em todas as áreas no processo produtivo, desde a transformação da matéria-prima à comercialização dos produtos. O estudo busca trazer visibilidade ao trabalho, observando em que medida este trabalho contribui para a afirmação dos Direitos Humanos das mulheres feirantes. A pesquisa foi realizada numa perspectiva histórico-estrutural, parte dos trabalhos nas feiras no âmbito da história da humanidade, percorre seu desenvolvimento ao longo da trajetória do capitalismo e relaciona o trabalho na feira à informalidade, precariedade e baixa rede de proteção social em que atuam as mulheres feirantes da Feira da Sulanca de Caruaru. A pesquisa tem como objetivo geral compreender o trabalho feminino na feira da Sulanca de Caruaru e sua relação com a afirmação dos Direitos Humanos; e, como objetivos específicos, analisar as condições de trabalho das mulheres na Feira da Sulanca de Caruaru; verificar a relação entre trabalho feminino e a aplicabilidade dos Direitos Humanos e identificar como as mulheres feirantes observam o cotidiano do trabalho que desempenham na feira da Sulanca. O estudo foi realizado a partir da pesquisa qualitativa com os seguintes instrumentos de coleta de dados: entrevista semiestruturada, história de vida e a análise dos dados a partir da análise de conteúdo. O referencial teórico do trabalho se sustenta em autores como: MARX (1996, 2010), PERROT (2012), SAFIOTTI (2004). Como resultados, identificamos mulheres que são provedoras do sustento de suas famílias, a presença de mulheres em situações de extrema vulnerabilidade e precariedade na feira, baixa rede de proteção social, pequena participação das mulheres feirantes em espaços de poder e decisão nas organizações e sindicatos, além de inúmeras violações aos seus direitos essenciais que limitam sua afirmação de direitos e emancipação. / Understanding the universe of women's work of the fairground Sulanca in Caruaru city and its role in development of the Agreste of Pernambuco was the path marked out for this search. The Sulanca fair is connected to the rugged clothing polo and the city of Caruaru is part of this regional development center. The focus of research is the role of women working in fair playing key actions for economic activity. The women working in all areas of the production process, from the transformation of raw materials to product marketing. The study seeks to bring visibility to the work, noting the extent to which this work contributes to the affirmation of Human Rights of fairground women. The survey was conducted a historical- structural perspective, part of the work at fairs in history along the capitalist path and related work at the fair informality , precarious and low social safety net where they operate the fairground women Fair Sulanca Caruaru. The research aims to: General: understanding women's work in the Caruaru's Sulanca fair and their relationship with the affirmation of Human Rights and specific objectives: to analyze the working conditions of women in Sulanca fair of Caruaru- PE; to verify the relationship between women's work and the applicability of Human Rights and identify how women stallholders observe the daily work they perform in Sulanca fair in Pernambuco's Agreste. The survey was conducted from qualitative research with the following data collection instruments: semi-structured interviews, life story and analysis of data from the content analysis. The theoretical work of reference is based on authors such as Marx (1996, 2010), PERROT (2012), SAFIOTTI (2004). As a result, we identified women who are the providers for their families, the presence of women in extremely vulnerable and precarious situations at the fair, poor social safety net, small share of the fairground women in positions of power and decision-making in organizations and unions, numerous violations of their basic rights that limit their claim rights and emancipation.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Cancer is a major public health concern in both developed and developing countries; it accounts for 13% of all deaths globally, of which 70% occur in middle- and low-income countries. In Nigeria, over 10 000 cancer deaths and 250 000 new cases of cancer are recorded yearly. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide, after lung cancer. It is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in women and the most common cause of death worldwide. Late detection and diagnosis of breast cancer leads to high mortality rate. In Nigeria certain cultural taboos are associated with breast cancer, which lead to poor information dissemination to women in rural communities. Breast self-examination (BSE) provides an inexpensive method for early detection of breast tumours. Knowledge and awareness about Breast Self-Examination are critical to promote consistent practices when the people concerned are empowered with the needed information to acquire the knowledge and skills which will inform practice of any health issue. In Nigeria it was reported that the number of women at risk of breast cancer increased progressively from 24.5 million in 1990 to about 40 million in 2010. This number is projected to rise to over 50 million by 2020, should the trend continue unabated. The current study explored the understandings of breast cancer and prevention, with particular emphasis on BSE practice among rural women, and developed an empowerment programme to promote uptake of this practice in a rural community in a south-western state of Nigeria. The study was framed in the Health Belief Model and Kieffer’s empowerment process. Participatory action research was used as study design and approach; and utilized both qualitative and qualitative methods. The sample for quantitative phase comprised 345 women aged 20 to 60 years, selected from 5 communities using a cross-sectional procedure. Data gathering instrument was a questionnaire. Summative statistics were calculated using the SPSS program. The sample for qualitative phase comprised of 95 women who were selected from the respondents to the quantitative phase. The data was collected through focus group discussion. The qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis. Three themes that emerged for qualitative analysis which are: knowledge/awareness of BSE, practice and appeal for intervention, and misconception and fear. The survey results showed that a large proportion of the respondents (75.1% and 76.5%) had low levels of knowledge about BSE and did not practice BSE. Also, about 77% of the respondents expressed one form of barrier or another to BSE practice. However, despite these inadequacies, 87% of the respondents were ready and willing to improve their health if empowered with the right information and motivation. The empowerment program informed by the quantitative and qualitative phases and the stages of change with the full participation of the women. The program consisted of hands-on physical demonstrations, BSE pamphlets, and mnemonic songs were identified media of disseminating knowledge and practice of BSE. These media became the platforms for the empowerment programme developed for the women. A day was also set aside, just as is done for immunisation, for BSE practice and other women’s health issues to promote the prevention of breast cancer in the community. The “Physical demonstration” intervention resulted in an increase in the correct BSE practice from 23.5% at the beginning of the study, to 85.3% post the intervention. The “other intervention” resulted in 80% to 94.7% of participating women being able to practice correct physical step-by-step performance of BSE. The participatory approach contribute to a high levels of participation by women in Iddo local Government which led to the increase in the correct Breast Self–Examination as stated above.

Great disparities exist in women’s health outcomes in rural indigenous communities in Guatemala; indigenous women are less likely to utilize family planning and cervical cancer screening services. This pilot study assessed baseline women’s health knowledge and the effects of a comprehensive women’s health course on women’s health knowledge and behaviors. From February to November 2013, 61 participants in a seven-week language-appropriate women’s health curriculum were evaluated before and after the course using a 10-item knowledge assessment. Cervical cancer screening and contraceptive utilization rates were assessed by self-report before and after the course. Several women’s health knowledge deficits were noted: belief that contraception causes cancer, inability to name symptoms of STIs, lack of understanding of pap smears, and lack of familiarity with condoms. The average pre-test score was 54.6%; increasing to 83.7% on the post-test (p<0.0001). 79% had received a pap smear prior to the course; this increased to 92% at the post-test (p=0.013). 53% had utilized contraception prior to the course; at the time of the post-test the percentage was 54% (p=1). This study reveals important patterns in women’s health beliefs in rural Guatemala, and shows that a seven-week curriculum was effective in improving scores on a knowledge assessment.

Recovering the lost voices of marginalized groups and integrating them into history helps reshape social constructs of the past, revitalize historiographical practices, and rethink spaces of exclusivity. Using an archival methodology and a feminist rhetorical lens, this thesis recovers the history of College Temple, a nineteenth-century women’s college located in Newnan, Georgia, and the women who attended the school, examining how the local space contributes to both rhetoric and composition’s larger historical narrative and modern practices. Though in existence a mere thirty-six years (1853-1889), College Temple provided its student with several contemporary opportunities, particularly within the realm of composition, contributing to their sense of agency and ethos. Exploring this contribution demonstrates the importance of the microhistory, serving as a call to further this type of research.

Background: Urbanization is increasing around the world, and in India this trend has translated into an increase in the size of slum dwellings. Slum environments may have a negative effect on human health, in particular women’s health. The objective of the study is to determine factors associated with Indian women’s health in slum environments. Methods: The relationship between women’s health, measured by BMI, and demographic, behavioural, and socioeconomic factors was statistically modelled. A multiple linear regression was performed, using data from the India National Family Health Survey. Results: Increasing BMI is significantly and positively associated with: frequency of watching television, having diabetes, age, wealth index, and residency status in the areas of New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu. Conclusion: While belonging to a scheduled tribe was not associated with changes in BMI, unadjusted rates suggest that tribal status may be worthy of deeper investigation. Among slum dwellers, there is a double-burden of under-nutrition and over-nutrition. Therefore a diverse set of interventions will be required to improve the health outcomes of these women.

The purpose of this thesis is to illustrate the way in which feminist-based organizations - specifically women's centres - have sought to fulfill the unmet social needs of women and children living throughout British Columbia. This thesis achieves this end through a number of different means. A literature review provides background on feminist planning and an overview of the history of the women's movement in Canada. An examination of B.C. women's centres, which includes a close look at the similar and unique services offered, demonstrates the positive contributions made by centres. A case study, which thoroughly reviews the history of one specific centre (the North Shore Women's Centre), shows how women's centres evolve over time in order to meet the changing needs of the women in their communities. An analysis explores the opportunities and constraints that the members of women's centres have faced in trying to carry out their various activities. This thesis has been based on, and has utilized, the goals and methodologies created by feminist planners. In doing so, it takes women's needs, interests, and experiences into account, and aims to make a contribution to knowledge that women can use to improve their lives / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Ring is a composition for orchestra (piccolo [doubling flute], two flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets in B-flat, bass clarinet, two bassoons, contra-bassoon, four horns, four trumpets, two tenor trombones, bass trombone, tuba, three percussion parts [including glockenspiel, vibraphone, tubular bells, snare drum, toms, bass drum, suspended cymbal, drum kit, triangle, and gong], timpani, harp, piano, and standard strings) and spatially separated women's choir (SA right, SA left). This arrangement of media is intended to "ring" the audience with performers. At the notated tempo of two quarter-notes per second, the duration of the piece is exactly 17'40". The title of Ring comes from a poem of the same name written by the composer which is the principal text sung by the choir in the piece. The text of the poem is as follows: Wendy is a ring / A beginning and an end / Connected / The finest gold / Melted by touch / Cooled by breath / She fits my every finger / Without constraint / But permanent / Priceless, Precious, Beautiful / Alone / She clothes me. The poem and composition were written for, and dedicated to, the composer's wife. The ring metaphor ("ring" meaning cyclical, unending, complete) underlies many of the compositional choices in the work. Much of the surface of the music and its deeper structural elements are palindromes, which, because they end as they begin, have a circular nature. Also, the pitch structure of the piece involves the climactic completion of the "cycle" of the twelve available equal-tempered pitch classes. A further organizational element is the Fibonacci series, a mathematical construct which is used to determine small-scale rhythms and the duration of the larger sections of the work. These components, taken together, have resulted in a composition filled with variety and contrasts, which, nonetheless, is quite organically cohesive. / Arts, Faculty of / Music, School of / Graduate

Women produce 80% of the food in sub-Sahara but solely own a meager 1% of the land they cultivate. Since the mid-90 century, this issue has been illuminated in the international community and launched a trend of land tenure reform, particularly in sub-Sahara, where numerous countries have substantial rural populations. The trend is situated in the importance of inclusive land rights for the rural population because of the mitigating effect it has on conflict and on the promotion of gender equality. The purpose of this study is through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, contribute to identifying and explaining the current main obstacles that persist for rural women of Liberia to benefit from the Liberian Land Rights Law of 2018 after the new law has been passed and the implementation has begun. The study shows that the three main obstacles that persist for women are the patriarchal power relation, the lack of awareness, and the lack of local institutions. Where the law has been implemented, it certainly promotes equality between the genders, but there is still a long and rough road before the Liberian people can cross the finish line of full implementation and gender equality regarding land.

Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / Women’s football is one of the fastest growing sports around the world, however, equity is lacking as women have to negotiate for training equipment, financial sponsorship, media coverage and safe transportation. The study represents an investigation of the lived experiences of female footballers and administrators in the Western Cape: A critical perspective of gender equity. The study further assessed the lack of development and support for women involved in football which displays the inequalities experienced by females within the football arena. The proposed study investigated female footballers’ lived experiences with regard to gender equity in football in the Western Cape. The study used a phenomenological approach which focused specifically on the lived experiences of humans with regards to a particular phenomenon which in this study is gender equity.