Empowering women living with HIV and young people

1. Empowering women living with HIV and young people Capacity-building and advocacy on unwanted pregnancies and abortion in Malawi and Namibia Maria de Bruyn Panel on Unwanted Pregnancy and Abortion: Challenges for Women Living with HIV XVIII International AIDS Conference Vienna, Austria 23 July 2010

2. First, an acknowledgment Thanks to: Marie Khudzani Banda and her colleagues of ICW Malawi Jeni Gatsi Mallet and her colleagues of ICW Namibia/Namibian Women’s Health Network

3. Human rights and abortion Reproductive and other rights at issue Treaty Monitoring Committees UN Special Rapporteurs UN Commission and General Assembly International agencies Everyone has the rights to freedom of thought and conscience, and to self-determination. Others must not impose their views or obstruct others’ enjoyment of their rights.

4. Empowering women in Malawi December 2007-July 2009 Workshops for ICW national and local leaders Participation of important stakeholders and policy-makers (MOH, Commission on Human Rights, National Nurses Council)

5. Community sessions Objectives Contribute to de-stigmatization of unwanted pregnancy, HIV and reproductive rights, and abortion Gather information on experiences of HIV-positive women with abortion Establish links with other organizations and groups One community in each of the country’s 3 regions Women aged 20-60 years Methods: demonstrations, Q&A, role-plays, discussions Guest facilitators: MOH, family planning association Session content topics Signs of early and later pregnancy Contraceptive methods Emergency contraception Who owns my body? Parent-child communication Advantages/disadvantages of choices: keeping a child as part of a couple, keeping a child as single mother, adoption, safe abortion Differences between unsafe and safe abortion Advocacy on reproductive rights

6. Community session outcomes The women: learned about emergency contraception learned about signs of early pregnancy learned the difference between safe and unsafe abortions acknowledged a need for parents to talk with young people, especially young women, about sexuality and reproductive health matters. Quite a few women said that they had changed their attitudes regarding the need to care better for themselves and towards abortion. “I have noticed that I have to take care of my body.” “I know that my body belongs to me.” “Women who were doing abortion we were stigmatizing them. But now we will not do it again.”

7. Malawi: women’s experiences Cases of unwanted pregnancies and abortion brought up at each session. 14 stories included in booklet.

8. Malawi: expanding organizational links Members invited to international and national meetings: Presentation on panel at UN Commission on the Status of Women 2010 Meeting to establish Southern and Eastern Africa Positive Women Human Rights Network Regional Meeting on Cancer of the Cervix and Women Living With HIV ICW invited to become part of a national reproductive rights coalition

9. Malawi: women’s recommendations Hold more community dialogue & education sessions – also at schools on topics like safer sex, pregnancy, contraception and abortion Develop and distribute more materials on contraception Educate and sensitize community members about emergency contraception, especially young girls and boys Increase the number of women receiving information and education about the differences between unsafe and safe abortion care Educate communities on available safe abortion services as allowed by national law and on post–abortion care Compile and disseminate data on the magnitude and consequences of unsafe abortion Government should take urgent action to harmonize the law on abortion with its international treaty agreements to ensure protection of its vulnerable citizens Train service providers in the provision of comprehensive safe abortion care services as allowed by national law Ensure that hospital have a client-friendly atmosphere so that girls and women feel comfortable asking for reproductive health services. Continue community sensitization through media, TV, Posters

10. Empowering women and youth in Namibia Capacity building for women living with HIV & youth leaders Community & stakeholder education Advocacy with policy-makers

11. Namibia: Capacity building for women living with HIV & youth leaders Capacity-building for ICW facilitators Capacity-building for youth: 14 organizations Topics: gender equity, pregnancy, contraception, violence, alcohol, abortion, advocacy “…the structure in which information was handed out was very open and participatory, which allowed me to share and make use of scenarios from my own community and formulate solutions that would suit problems where I come from.”

12. Namibia: community education Radio talk shows Campaign on “Celebrating health” at the Polytechnic of Namibia in April 2009 YAC and PICC dramas on violence, rape, unwanted pregnancy, EC/PEP, abortion in Dordabis Health Ethics Committees

13. During the project Media coverage: magazine and newspaper Recommendations on draft Consolidated National Reproductive and Child Health Policy Advocacy campaign on PEP and EC at community clinics MenEngage Africa Alliance meeting Youth Economic Empowerment program Post-project National Ombudsman speaks out about safe abortion National Society of Human Rights speaks out about safe abortion Working group on HIV/AIDS-related discriminatory laws led by Ministry of Justice Meeting with representatives of President’s Office Namibia: advocacy with policy-makers and stakeholders

14. Sample participant responses “I want to thank you and appreciate the way you have taken us out of the darkness. I recommend that you carry on with these types of training to youth as it provides us with knowledge of life and gives us life skills.” Namibia “Though we have negative reactions to some women’s reasons for choosing abortion, we should not judge them because we are not in their circumstances; we may not have all the relevant information and must respect their right to make their own decisions; we cannot impose our beliefs on them and, lastly, it is God’s role to judge and not human beings.” Malawi “…in the past I thought it was difficult to come out in the open and discuss something that concerns my life.” Malawi “I have changed my thinking because I have discovered so many things, like we should be close with our children at home.” Malawi “It has enlightened me and de-stigmatized me in terms of the way that I look at abortion.” Namibia “Thank you Namibia Women’s Health Network for helping me to change my behavior towards women. …I have become a strong supporter on safe abortion especially for young women…They either end up having an unsafe abortion or dump the babies or even die. I wish our government would stop to deny what is clearly happening to young girls with unwanted pregnancies.”

15. What did the projects teach us? The women and youth in both countries looked forward enthusiastically to the sessions – these were topics about which they wanted information and the opportunity to discuss! In both countries, community members asked for more such projects. The participants themselves commented on how empowered they felt. The ICW members and youth gained contacts and respect for their activities and advocacy. Sensitive topics can – and need to – be addressed.