Week 3 Discussion Guide: Childhood and Adolescence

Transcription

1 International Women s Health & Human Rights Week 3 Discussion Guide: Childhood and Adolescence Themes from the Week Adolescence and Change Female Genital Mutilation HIV/AIDS Before You Begin Make sure to visit the Discussion Toolkit instructions page and read the instructions thoroughly to prepare for group discussions: Remember that the toolkits are only a jumping-off point to start your conversations; depending on your timing, you may not get through all of the questions. The main purpose of meeting together is to have an engaged and thoughtful discussion.

2 Part I. Initial Response Please discuss your personal reactions to the readings and/or videos from Week 3 on Childhood and Adolescence, which focused on Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Describe one new idea or fact that you have learned from the course this week. Part II. Topical Discussion Questions on Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation to consider with your group. We have left space for you to write down some of your thoughts on the subject as you meet with your group. 1. Why is it important to study adolescent girls as a separate age group? What are issues that adolescent girls face that children (younger than 10) do not? What are issues that adolescent girls face that women (older than 24) do not?

3 2. What is the World Health Organization's definition of Female Genital Mutilation [FGM]? Consider the terms female genital mutilation, female genital cutting, and female circumcision. Given what you know about the differences in the procedures between countries, comment on these terminologies. 3. What are the justifications for FGM? What are the consequences of FGM? What is being done to change perceptions of FGM in the communities in which it is practiced? If you were a citizen of a country in which FGM is being practiced, how would you address the cultural reasons for conducting the procedure?

4 Part III. Topical Discussion Questions on HIV/AIDS to consider with your group. We have left space for you to write down some of your thoughts on the subject as you meet with your group. 4. Girls and women are more vulnerable to contracting HIV/AIDS than are boys and men. Why do females have a higher risk than males of contracting HIV? Think about biology, social status, and age differences. 5. How does the stigma relating to HIV/AIDS further endanger girls living with this disease? 6. Despite the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS, there are methods and resources to reduce symptoms and prevent the spread of the disease. Pretend that you are a young woman in a monogamous relationship with an HIV positive male. What are some ways to prevent you from contracting HIV? If you plan to have a baby, like Bhanu in From Outrage to Courage, how can you prevent your child from contracting HIV? How are some communities helping girls and young women infected with HIV/AIDS?

5 Part IV. Women s Health & Human Rights in Your Community Dr. Gene Richardson talked about structural violence, which he calls types of violence that are not physical but that affect the health of populations, including institutionalized racism, gender inequality, lack of access to water or to clean water, lack of access to adequate housing all the sorts of social mechanisms that prevent a population or a group of persons from becoming as healthy as they should be can be thought of as structural violence. 7. Please think about the community you live in. Are there any examples of structural violence in your community that prevent some members of the community from being as healthy as they could be? Please write down some of these examples. 8. Write down some of the reasons these conditions exist.

6 9. Are there ways to address these problems? Does positive change require action from the government, organizations, or individuals to help eliminate structural violence and promote health for all? Part V. Submit a Report When you have finished, we ask you to share your group s reflections with the IWHHR community. As a team, make sure to fill out the information needed for the Discussion Toolkit Report before you conclude your meeting. Click on the Discussion Toolkit page for instructions: