This research examines the experience of a long-term creative arts project within a women’s cancer support group. Specifically, the research explores the effects of a creative arts project on quality of life. Literature describing cancer support groups has been reviewed, as well as literature published which specifically studied the effects of art therapy with those living with from medical illnesses including, but not limited to, cancer. Qualitative data was gathered through surveys, interviews, and by analysis of the creative art projects. Group participants were offered the directive to create an altered book in which to express their cancer journey. The art directive was a long-term project, with participants given the opportunity to work on their altered books over the course of six months. Both the processes by which the creative art projects were created as well as the content of the finished products were evaluated. Four prominent themes were discovered during analysis of data; time, a sense of life and growth, gratitude for social connections, and the creative process. These findings were then examined in the context of the general literature as well as art therapy literature on medical support groups. The research supports general literature which identifies that cancer diagnoses and treatment can create social isolation, creating a vital need for social relations and connection. The art therapy research studied chose to focus more on the art product, whereas this research also greatly considers the process of the art-making as significant data.

Bakgrund Våld i nära relationer utgör ett stort globalt problem för individer men även samhället i stort. Kvinnor drabbas av våld i nära relationer i mycket större utsträckning än vad män gör. De som är utsatta för våld i nära relationer kan drabbas av både fysisk och psykisk ohälsa och våldet har även en negativ påverkan på andra faktorer i det vardagliga livet. Begreppet våld som används i den här studien inkluderar fysiskt, psykiskt och sexuellt våld. Syfte Syftet med studien var att beskriva hur kvinnors hälsa påverkas av våld i nära relationer. Metod En icke-systematisk litteraturöversikt utfördes baserat på sammanlagt 21 vetenskapliga artiklar. Artiklarna hämtades från databaserna PubMed och Cinahl och i databaserna gjordes sökningar med hjälp av relevanta Mesh-termer samt Subject Headings. De inkluderade artiklarna är primära källor som var högst tio år gamla och som kvalitetsgranskats till hög och medelkvalitet. Med hjälp av de inkluderade artiklarna sammanställdes det två huvudkategorier till resultatet: fysisk hälsa och psykisk hälsa. Resultat Litteraturöversiktens resultat presenterades i form av två huvudkategorier. Den första huvudkategorien var fysisk hälsa med underkategorierna fysiska besvär, långvariga hälsokonsekvenser och missbruk. Den andra huvudkategorien var psykisk hälsa med underkategorierna ångest, depression och PTSD, självskadebeteende, suicid och suicidförsök, samt slutligen psykosocialt välmående. Våld i nära relationer bidrog till att kvinnor drabbades av fysisk och psykisk ohälsa samt att livskvaliteten försämrades. Kvinnor som varit utsatta för våld i nära relationer hade sämre hälsa än kvinnor som aldrig upplevt våld i nära relationer. Våld i nära relationer kunde leda till långvariga fysiska och psykiska hälsokonsekvenser. Att uppleva en kombination av olika typer av våld samtidigt ledde till en större negativ hälsopåverkan jämfört med att endast uppleva en typ av våld. Slutsats Våld i nära relationer påverkade kvinnors hälsa negativt och våldsutsatta kvinnor hade generellt sämre hälsa än icke-våldsutsatta kvinnor. Alla typer av våld bidrog till en försämring av kvinnors hälsa. Resultatet tyder på att våldsutsatta kvinnor i stor utsträckning drabbas av både fysiska och psykiska besvär till följd av våldet och att även deras livskvalitet försämras. Den negativa hälsopåverkan som våldet för med sig i form av både fysiska och psykiska hälsobesvär kan bestå lång tid efter att en relation har upphört, alternativt plåga kvinnan resten av livet. / Background  Intimate partner violence is a major global problem for individuals but also for society at large. Women are affected by violence in close relationships to a much greater extent than men. Those who are exposed to intimate partner violence can suffer from both physical and mental illness and the violence also has a negative impact on other factors in everyday life. The term violence used in this study includes physical, psychological and sexual violence. Aim  The aim of the study was to describe how women's health is affected by intimate partner violence. Method A non- systematic literature review was performed based on a total of 21 scientific articles. The articles were retrieved from the databases PubMed and Cinahl. Searches were made on the databases using relevant Mesh terms and Subject Headings. The included articles are primary sources that were a maximum of ten years old, and they had been quality reviewed to high and medium quality. Using the included articles two categories were compiled for the results: physical health and psychological health. Results  The results of the literature review were presented in the form of two main categories. The first main category was physical health with the subcategories physical ailments, long-term health consequences and addiction. The second main category was mental health with the subcategories anxiety, depression and PTSD, self harm, suicide and suicide attempts and lastly psychosocial well-being. Intimate partner violence contributed to women suffering from physical and mental illness and the quality of life deteriorating. Women who were exposed to intimate partner violence had poorer health than women who never experienced violence in close relationships. Intimate partner violence could lead to long-term physical and mental health consequences. Experiencing a combination of different types of violence at the same time led to a greater negative health impact compared to only experiencing one type of violence. Conclusions  Intimate partner violence had a negative effect on women’s health, and abused women generally had poorer health than non-abused women. All types of violence contributed to the deterioration of women’s health. The results indicate that women who were exposed to violence to a large extent suffer from both physical and mental health problems as a result of the violence and that their quality of life also deteriorates. The negative health impact that violence leads to in the form of both physical and mental ailments can persist long after a relationship has ended, or alternatively torment the woman for the rest of her life.

Empowerment is a process or a mechanism of individuals, organizations and communitiesacquiring control over their lives (Rappaport (1987), and there is a sustained effort by nationsand the international communities across the globe in search of pragmatic agendas and policyframework in achieving women’s empowerment. The purpose of this study was to understandthe experiences of immigrant women who participate in multicultural festivals, and how suchexperiences impact their empowerment. Guided by the ladder of empowerment theory byElizabeth Rocha in 1997, a phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with fifteenimmigrant women residents in Uppsala, and with heterogeneous description, the women weremainly from west African, South American and the European sub-regions.Drawing on the interviews, exposure to different cultures, making friends and interactingwith people from different cultural origins, opportunity to have fun, happiness and socialnetworking were the sailing experiences revealed by the study. While the women are able toachieve the first three levels – atomistic, embedded and mediated empowerments – ofindividual empowerments as espoused by Rocha (1997), the study further showsSocio-political and Political empowerment were not felt by the women, though theirgroupings into groups and organizations could influence decisions, legislations andprogrammes underlying the celebration of multicultural festivals in the Uppsala municipality.

This bachelor’s thesis examines the narrative about the Swedish Women’s Volountary Defence Organization (Svenska Lottakåren) in Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning, and Svenska Dagbladet during the preparedness period (beredskapstiden) through a qualitative narrative analysis. Drawing from Lawrence Freedman’s theory of strategic narratives, the research sheds light on the newspaper’s role in shaping perceptions of Lottakåren and its efforts during the period. Furthermore, it investigates the narratives implications on a strategic level. The study concludes that the narrative may have influenced public perceptions of Lottakåren, serving specific strategic aims, such as creating support for the organization within society, fostering unity withing the organization, encourage volunteering and recruitment of new members. In doing so, this research fills a gap in knowledge on the subject while emphasizing the press’s vital role at a strategic level in times of war and crisis. / Denna uppsats undersöker narrativet om den svenska Lottakåren i Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning och Svenska Dagbladet under beredskapstiden genom en kvalitativ narrativanalys enligt uppsatsens syfte att undersöka narrativet om Svenska Lottakåren i dessa tidningar under beredskapstiden. Genom att tillämpa Lawrence Freedmans teori om strategiska narrativ belyses tidningarnas bidrag till formandet av uppfattningen om Lottakåren och dess insatser under beredskapstiden, samt betydelsen av narrativet i ett strategiskt sammanhang. Undersökningens resultat är att ett positivt narrativ om Lottakåren kan ha haft en påverkan på allmänhetens uppfattningar om Lottakåren och fyllt specifika syften såsom att öka stödet för organisationen hos allmänheten, skapa samhörighet, uppmuntra till frivillighet och rekrytera nya medlemmar. Därmed bidrar resultatet till att fylla en kunskapslucka och belysa pressens viktiga roll på en strategisk nivå i krig och kris.

Bakgrund: Cirka en av tio kvinnor har sjukdomen endometrios. Endometrios innebär att livmoderslemhinna börjat växa på andra platser än i livmodern, detta skapar en kronisk inflammation som ofta orsakar buksmärta. Smärta hos kvinnor normaliseras ofta inom vården vilket leder till att diagnos av endometrios tar åratal att fastställa. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva hur kvinnor med endometrios upplever bemötandet i vården. Metod: Som metod valdes en litteraturöversikt där resultatet baserades på tio kvalitativa vetenskapliga artiklar som hämtades från databaserna PubMed och Cinahl Complete samt från en manuell sökning. Resultat: Tre huvudteman identifierades: Att behöva kämpa för sin vård, Lång väntan på diagnos och Att tvivla på sjukvården. Sammanfattning: Kvinnor med kronisk smärta blir inte tagna på allvar inom vården. Smärta normaliseras både i samhället och i vården, kvinnorna med endometrios tvingas gång på gång söka sjukvård då ingen tar dem på allvar. Kvinnorna upplever överlag negativt bemötande inom vården och att de behöver kämpa för att bli lyssnade till och få den vård de desperat behöver. / Background: One of ten women suffer from endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition where the lining of the womb starts to grow outside the uterus, thus creating a cronic inflammation that leads to severe abdominal pain. Womens pain is often normalized in healthcare which leads to years of struggle before she finally get the diagnosis. Aim: The aim was to decribe how women with endometriosis experience the personal treatment in healthcare. Method: A literature study was chosen where the result is based on ten qualitative scientific articles that were found in the databases: PubMed and Cinahl Complete, along with a manual search. Results: Three main findings were identified: The need to fight for healthcare, Long wait for diagnosis and To question the healthcare. Summary: Women with cronic pain are not being taken serious by healthcare. Pain is being normalized in our society but also in healthcare. The women with endometriosis are forced to repeatedly search for help, but without being heard. The women experience mainly negative personal treatment in healthcare and the need to fight to make someone listen to finally get the help they desperately need.

Financial dependency and a trend in donor-driven gender equality and women’s empowerment projects in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) have undoubtedly had an effect on the way in which NGOs are working and evolving: often projects are designed to fulfill donor requirements – and thereby policies - instead of creating an agenda which is politically and socially “home grown”. This paper analyses the USAID gender policy paper (as an example of foreign donor policy) and interviews conducted with legal, programme and gender experts in the oPt, exploring the challenges and gaps between policy and practice. The research uses qualitative research methods to analyze USAID discourse - exploring concepts such as representation, ideology and power - and general assumptions and perspectives towards women’s equality and empowerment in the Opt versus how this translates into practice.

This study is based on the statistical finding that every tenth women in Sweden refrains to go outside alone in their own residential area when it is dark because they are afraid (BRÅ 2015:88) and strives to discuss this problem further. The purpose of this study is to argue that there is a need to address women’s fear of sexual violence as a human rights concern in Sweden. Women’s ability to enjoy their human rights is restricted by their fear and the normalization of women’s fear contributes to this problem. Furthermore, Martha Nussbaum’s capability approach and her theoretical understanding of emotions enable an understanding of how the concept of bodily integrity is affected by women’s fear. Women’s fear of sexual violence can be understood as a problem of social inequality that is affected by the underlying structures of gender inequality. Therefore, it is essential to identify the nature of the attitudes that tend to undermine women and result in violence against women. The fear of sexual violence is dependent on the occurrence of violence against women, which is a human rights violation. However, the fear of sexual violence is not a human rights violation yet it should be understood as a human rights concern.

The emergence and importance of human rights are rarely discussed without the discussion in some way also touching on the impact that various popular movements or social resistance have had on the manifestation of rights claims. This thesis focus in particular on the development in recent times in Afghanistan since the Taliban's takeover of power in August 2021. For the women and girls in Afghanistan the Taliban’s new power meant a return from 20 years of developed opportunities and recognized human rights, which can be directly derived to the rights and non-discrimination of women declared in the UN Women's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). This thesis will primarily deal with Amnesty International's report Death in Slow Motion: Women and girls under Taliban rule, which consists of a 100-page report, including testimonies, that describes the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan one year after the Taliban took gained power in August 2021. The analytical discussion of this thesis is based on a critical theoretical framework built on the concepts of performative practice, weapons of the weak, translation and ontological disturbance. The operationalization of the theoretical framework of this thesis is done with the help of a critical discourse analysis (CDA). The analytical discussion and conclusions of this thesis establish that Afghan women's and girls' current, every day or small-scale acts of resistance in order to assert their rights, demands for belonging, equality and freedom take varying forms and that these approaches move dynamically between the public and private spheres of society. In many ways, the resistance takes place beyond the Taliban's supervision and despite the risks that the acts of resistance entail, the actions of the Afghan women and girls contribute to manifesting and strengthening their rights claims and highlighting their capacity for agency and freedom of action. This thesis mainly highlights how these acts of resistance and agents can open up conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan to form communities and solidarity belonging within a social and political arena that has come to place them on the periphery.

Bakgrund: Endometrios är en kronisk sjukdom som kan ge olika symtom, inklusive svår menstruationssmärta, smärta vid samlag, fatigue och nedsatt fertilitet. Livet med endometrios påverkar individers fysiska, psykiska, sociala och existentiella välbefinnande i varierande grad. Sjuksköterskan har en central roll i att stödja patienter med endometrios genom att erbjuda trygg och kvalitativ omvårdnad med insikt i patientens perspektiv. Syfte: Att beskriva kvinnors upplevelse av att leva med endometrios. Metod: Metoden som användes var en allmän litteraturstudie med induktiv ansats där resultatet grundar sig i 13 vetenskapliga artiklar. Resultat: I litteraturstudien framkom olika upplevelser bland kvinnor med endometrios, inklusive fysiska, psykiska och sociala påverkningar. Deras möten med hälso- och sjukvården genererade både positiva och negativa erfarenheter. En brist på sjukvårdskunskap identifierades. Kvinnor kände sig inte tagna på allvar av sina anhöriga eller samhället och upplevde fördröjd diagnos samt brist på förtroende från vården. Det ledde till normalisering av deras symtom och försenad behandling, vilket förlängde deras lidande. När kvinnor träffade vårdpersonal som lyssnade uppmärksamt, kände de sig observerade, hörda och förstådda. Konklusion:  Endometrios har en omfattande och negativ påverkan på kvinnors liv i olika aspekter såsom fysiskt, psykiskt, socialt och även inom deras intima relationer. Sjuksköterskor behöver därför kontinuerlig kompetensutveckling för lindra lidande och erbjuda effektiv vård. / Background:  Endometriosis is a chronic disease that can present with various symptoms, including severe menstrual pain, pain during intercourse, fatigue, and reduced fertility. Living with endometriosis impacts individuals' physical, mental, social, and existential well-being in varying degrees. The nurse has a central role in supporting patients with endometriosis by providing secure and high-quality care with insight into the patient's perspective. Aim: To describe women's experience of living with endometriosis. Method: The method that was used was a general literature study with an inductive approach where the result is based on 13 scientific articles Results: In the literature study, various experiences emerged among women with endometriosis, including physical, psychological, and social impacts. Their encounters with healthcare generated both positive and negative experiences. A lack of healthcare knowledge was identified. Women felt not taken seriously by their loved ones or society and experienced delayed diagnosis and a lack of trust from healthcare providers. This led to the normalization of their symptoms and delayed treatment, prolonging their suffering. When women met healthcare professionals who listened attentively, they felt seen, heard, and understood. Conclusions: Endometriosis has a profound and negative impact on women's lives in various aspects, including physical, mental, social, and even within their intimate relationships. Therefore, nurses need continuous professional development to alleviate suffering and provide effective care.

This essay explores endometriosis from a sociological perspective, with a focus on its impact on women in their everyday lives, work, and social contexts. Endometriosis, a condition affecting approximately 10 percent of women during their reproductive years, is a prevalent but incurable disease, with treatments only alleviating symptoms. Despite its prevalence, it remains relatively unknown to the general public, leading to lengthy diagnostic processes and a lack of understanding of the experiences of those affected. With this essay we want to shed light on how endometriosis affects women’s opportunities in the job market and private life, as well as its interaction with gender aspects within medical research and treatment. Through interviews and digital ethnography, we investigate how individuals with endometriosis experience interactions with healthcare providers, employers, and social relationships, as well as how the disease contributes to stigma and shame. The authors conclude that endometriosis significantly impacts women’s lives, both personally and professionally. The disease often leads to physical and emotional challenges that can limit their participation in the workforce and social activities. They emphasize the need for increased awareness and understanding of endometriosis, as well as improved healthcare strategies to support affected women. Further research is necessary to explore and address the unique challenges faced by women with endometriosis. Regarding future research, the thesis highlights the importance of continued investigation in this field to develop better treatment methods and support structures. This includes exploring the effects of endometriosis on women’s mental health, their ability to maintain employment, and how the disease affects their social relationships and overall quality of life.