International Health and Development
Evaluation of reproductive health services provided to refugees and internally displaced persons
During 2004 a team from School of Public Health and Community Medicine undertook an evaluation of quality and access to reproductive health services for refugees and IDPs in various camp/rural/urban settings in Yemen, Uganda and Republic of Congo..This study was part of the Global Evaluation of provision of reproductive health services to refugees and IDPs based on the framework for implementation outlined in the Interagency Field Manual. The specific objectives of the evaluation were to take stock of the range and quality of services provided to refugees and IDPs and to identify factors that facilitated or hindered access to, use of and satisfaction with services from the perspectives of the beneficiaries and to recommend ways in which services can be strengthened or expanded.
The evaluation report was launched In Geneva on 7 December 2004 at the annual meeting the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Refugee Situations.
People’s Health Movement Australia
The People’s Health Movement (PHM) is a network of global and national organisations committed to giving voice to people whose health is shaped by policies and programs so often imposed rather than built up in partnership. The purposes and orientation of PHM are spelled out in the People’s Charter for Health (see http://phmovement.org/charter/index.html).
The aim of PHM is to ensure that health is accepted as a basic human right, by tackling the broader determinants of health 9 globalisation, environmental degradation, violence and war). PHM sees a people-centred health sector with strong participation as the key to addressing these determinants of health. The PHM aims to draw on and support people’s movements in their struggles to build long-term and sustainable solutions to health problems.
A group of PHM representatives from India, Ecuador, South Africa and Nicaragua attended the 2004 World Health Promotion Conference in Melbourne and in association with that conference undertook a speaking tour in Adelaide, Melbourne and at UNSW in Sydney. Many health activists and advocates were inspired and motivated by these talks to organise PHM Australia. Since the second People’s Health assembly will take place in Ecuador in July 2005, we are keen to have a well-networked Australian contingent attend the assembly, with strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation (see http://phmoz.org).
Launch of a NSW Chapter
The School of Public Health and Community Medicine and its associated research centres and units at UNSW have a strong history of community engagement and commitment to social justice issues. Given our commitment to community engagement we are keen to support PHM in Australia and NSW in particular. We are holding a workshop on Monday 21 March 2005 to discuss the potential structure of PHM NSW and develop an agenda for action.
People's Health Movement NSW Workshop - 21st March 2005. 9.30am - 4pm at Claffey Lecture Theatre, Sydney Hospital.
Objectives of the workshop:
Develop a proposal for the structure of PHM NSW
Identify local issues to be included in the PHM NSW chapter
Identify local issues that would be taken to PHA II
Identify local issues to be addressed in the Global Health Watch Report for 2005
All interested organizations and individuals are invited to attend. For further information on the workshop, contact Ms Husna Razee hunnaraz@hotmail.com or husna@phmoz.org