Health and Human Rights on the BBC's Health Program Health Check Host Claudia Hammond spoke with Sofia Gruskin of PIHHR and Gorik Ooms of Médicins Sans Frontières, about some of the ethical and rights dilemmas that health workers face while working in conflict situations Should doctors speak out when they witness human rights abuses if it means they may not get access to victims?. For more information on BBC’s Health Program Health Check, click here
Human Rights- Based Approaches to Programming: A Practical Implementation Manual (27-30 November) The Program on International Health and Human Rights, the Culture, Gender and Human Rights Branch of the UNFPA Technical Support Division (CGHRB), and the pan-African network -Women in Law and Development, Africa (WiLDAF) co-hosted a three-day pilot test and training of trainers workshop on 'Human Rights- Based Approaches to Programming: A Practical Implementation Manual'. The workshop was held in Akosombo, Ghana with the support of the UNFPA Ghana office. The workshop was facilitated by PIHHR and CGHRB, with the Africa regional partner for the project - WiLDAF - leading the focus group discussions and note-taking. The workshop is a part of PIHHR's ongoing collaboration with the CGHRB of the UNFPA Technical Support Division. For more information on PIHHR's work with UNFPA, click here.
Male Circumcision and Public Health Implications Symposium (19 October)
The Department of Population and International Health and PIHHR co-hosted a half-day Symposium on Male Circumcision and Public Health Implications. Presenters included, Cate Hankins from UNAIDS on, "A Summary of the Evidence," Daniel Halperin from the Harvard School of Public Health on, "What is to be Gained by Adopting This Strategy," Jessica Ogden from the International Center for Research on Women on, "Why and How Gender Matters," Caroline Ryan, from the US CDC on, "How Does This Impact the PEPFAR Program?" and Elizabeth Lule, World Bank on, "How is the World Bank’s Position on the Prevention of HIV Evolving?" Discussion and audience questions were moderated by Richard Cash and Sofia Gruskin from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Abortion Law, Policy and Practice in Africa: Using the African Protocol on the Rights of Women (25 September)
Professor Ngwena, visiting research fellow at PIHHR, delivered a talk and led discussion with students, faculty and community members. The lecture and discussion kicked off the first meeting of the year for the Group on Reproductive Health and Rights (GRHR) at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies.
“History, Principles, and Practice of Health and Human Rights” published by The Lancet (3 August)
In the first of a four series article, Sofia Gruskin, Edward Mills and Daniel Tarantola discuss the changing views of human rights in the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and propose further development of the right to health by increased practice, evidence and action. To read the article, click here. For more information on the four paper series exploring the relationship between health and human rights and for copies of the articles as they become available, click here.
Health, Development and Human Rights Course (16-20 July)
Sofia Gruskin participated in Australia's first intensive short course hosted by The University of New South Wales’ Initiative for Health and Human Rights (IHHR). For more information, click here.
Dis/Organized Pleasures-Changing Bodies, Rights and Cultures (27-29 June) PIHHR took part in “Dis/Organized Pleasures - Changing Bodies, Rights and Cultures” the 6th International Conference of the International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture and Society (IASSCS), held in Lima, Peru. The meeting addressed sexual rights in political and cultural context across Latin America and the rest of the world. Program Director, Sofia Gruskin, gave a presentation entitled, "The Nexus of Sexuality, Gender and Human Rights: Addressing the Common Underlying Factors Linking Gender-Based Violence and HIV”. She also served as a respondent on the final plenary, "Globalization/Sexuality/Market.”
Challenges and Opportunities for Promoting Sexual Health and Rights at the International Level (26 June)
Program Director, Sofia Gruskin, was invited to participate in a meeting, coinciding with the IASSCS conference, hosted by the Ford Foundation titled, "Challenges and Opportunities for Promoting Sexual Health and Rights at the International Level." The meeting brought together people working on projects funded by the Ford Foundation on sexuality, sexual health and sexual rights or the Global Dialogues on Sexual Health and Wellbeing.
Evaluation Approaches and Methodologies on Ending Violence against Women and its Intersection with HIV/AIDS (25-26 June)
Program Staff Shahira Ahmed participated in the expert consultation on “Evaluation Approaches and Methodologies on Ending Violence against Women and its Intersection with HIV/AIDS” held in New York. The consultation was hosted by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, (managed by UNIFEM), the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Shahira’s presentation entitled “Improving Collaboration Between Organizations Working on HIV and GBV: Key Lessons Learned for Monitoring and Evaluation Methodologies” contributed to the expert consultation involving practitioners, advocates and evaluation experts.
International Seminar on Human Rights Indicators (19-21 June)
Program Staff Laura Ferguson was invited to present at the “International Seminar on Human Rights Indicators” an international conference hosted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the Brazilian Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), the City Commission of Human Rights of São Paulo, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in São Paulo, Brazil. The seminar aimed to stimulate debate on human rights indicators so as to facilitate the creation of appropriate public policies in this area. Participants included individuals from the local and national government, NGOs, academia, and intergovernmental agencies. Laura’s presentation entitled, “Human Rights Indicators: What? Why? How? And for Whom?” was part of a series of lectures intended to open up the debate on human rights indicators.
Human Rights-Based Approaches to Programming: A Practical Implementation Manual, Training Materials and Training of Trainers (13-15 June)
As part of an ongoing project with UNFPA, PIHHR and the Culture, Gender and Human Rights Branch of the UNFPA Technical Support Division (CGHRB) co-hosted a three-day workshop on, “Human Rights-Based Approaches to Programming: A Practical Implementation Manual, Training Materials and Training of Trainers” in Boston, MA USA. At the workshop, the first draft of a manual on how to integrate and implement a human rights-based approach in UNFPA’s mandates at country level was presented for feedback. Participants included UNFPA staff, both from the field and from headquarters; representatives from organizations with expertise in human rights and training from different regions, namely: the Center for Arab Women Training and Research (CAWTAR); International Women’s Rights Action Watch - Asia Pacific (IWRAW-AP); Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF); and the Inter-American Institute on Human Rights (IAIHR).
John M. Lloyd AIDS Project Forum (18-20 May) Program Director, Sofia Gruskin, attended the John M. Lloyd AIDS Project meeting in Stoney Point, New York hosted by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). This two-day forum brought together global health experts and AIDS activists to discuss evidence and best practices for expanding HIV testing and counseling. More information on this exciting collaboration will be posted to the web-site shortly.
Sofia Gruskin trained senior government officials in Vietnam (May)
As a core member of the AIDS and Public Policy Training Program, Gruskin helped train senior government officials in Vietnam to fully integrate health and human rights concepts into programming and policy efforts. For more information, click here.
HIV and Violence: The Deadly Intersection Two-Part Series (30 April)
PIHHR in collaboration with HSPH AIDS Tank and the Interdisciplinary Working Group on Women, Gender and Health hosted Part II of the two part series titled, "HIV and Violence: the Deadly Intersection." International expert, and close PIHHR collaborator, Susana Fried, introduced the Women Won’t Wait Campaign and “Show Us the Money: Is Violence against Women on the HIV&AIDS Donor Agenda?” and students presented their strategic policy analysis of the issues for major global health agencies to consider in going forward. For more information, click here.
Is AIDS Treatment a Human Right? A Discussion about Care and Equity (27 April) Professor Sofia Gruskin, PIHHR Director, participated in a panel discussion as part of Princeton University's Global AIDS Treatment Colloquium Series. Her presentation was entitled " Is AIDS Treatment a Human Right?: Yes, No, Maybe…" The panel also included Helen Epstein, Visiting Research Scholar at the Princeton Center for Health and Wellbeing and Joseph Amon, Director of the HIV/AIDS Program at Human Rights Watch. The colloquium was co-sponsored by the Princeton AIDS Initiative.
Health & Human Rights: An introduction, and focus on reproductive rights and HIV treatment (25 April)
Program Staff Dina Bogecho guest spoke at Emmanual College, a coed, residential, Catholic liberal arts and sciences college located in Boston.
HIV and Violence: The Deadly Intersection Two-Part Series (24 April)
Shahira Ahmed presented at PIHHR co-sponsored event, "HIV and Violence: Dual Epidemics." The presentation, part one of a two part series entited HIV and Violence: The Deadly Intersection, included an introduction to the dual epidemic of HIV and violence and included information on PIHHR's work in the area.
ICPD Programme of Action and International Human Rights Law: Where Are the Connections and Why Does it Matter? (29 March)
PIHHR hosted presentation by and discussion with visiting Research Fellow, Johanna Nilsson.
AIDS in Brazil International and Interdisciplinary Conference (22 March)
Sofia Gruskin spoke at, "AIDS in Brazil," hosted by the Harvard University Brazil Studies Program at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. For a post conference write-up published in Harvard's university-wide weekly newspaper, The Gazette, click here.
HIV Counseling and Testing in the Era of Expanded Access to Care and Treatment: Questions and Controversies Shaping New Policies and Programs Around the World (18 March) Professor Sofia Gruskin gave a CME-accredited clinical AIDS lecture at Boston Medical Center.
“Women Won’t Wait” International Campaign Extended Membership to PIHHR (March 6)
The purpose of this international campaign is to promote women’s health and human rights in the struggle to comprehensively address HIV and AIDS and end all forms of violence against women and girls. Program staff Shahira Ahmed was invited to participate in an expert consultation and present the results of the work of the Program at the intersection of gender-based violence and HIV at the launch in New York City. To view the launch and press conference flyer, click here.
GlobeMed Global Health Summit Conference (2 March)
Sofia Gruskin spoke at GlobeMed annual Global Health Summit on, "Improving Health: Contributions and Current Concerns in Doing Health and Human Rights Work." The conference was held at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. For more information on the conference and on GlobeMed, click here.
International Reproductive Health and Rights Conference (2 March)
Program staff Dina Bogecho spoke on, "The impact of US policies on women's reproductive health & rights" as a part of a mini-symposium International Reproductive Health and Rights conference held at Harvard Medical School, sponsored by: Harvard Medical Students for Choice, The Working Group on Women, Gender and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard Law Students for Choice.
Article Published in Reproductive Health Matters (24 February) Writing on "Male Circumcision, In So Many Words. . .", director Sofia Gruskin contributed to the Roundtable on Male Circumcision and HIV prevention.
Meeting Held in Buenos Aires, Argentina (21-27 February) Sofia Gruskin traveled to Buenos Aires to begin discussion as to how better to promote the publication of findings of researchers from the “South” in international peer reviewed journals in the fields of gender and sexual and reproductive rights.
The Seventh Meeting of the Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights (12-14 February) Professor Sofia Gruskin, Director of PIHHR, attended the Seventh Meeting of the Reference Group on HIV and human rights which examined the major challenges posed by the epidemic, such as those involved in provider-initiated testing and counseling, criminalization of drug users, sex workers and men having sex with men, male circumcision and violence against women and children. For more information, click here.
Implementing a Reproductive Rights Approach: UNFPA’s Experience in China (6 February)
PIHHR hosted presentation by and discussion with Siri Tellier Director, UNFPA Geneva Office. Talk moderated by Sofia Gruskin. Click here for event poster.
The Takemi Program in International Health Seminar (6 February)
Sofia Gruskin spoke to the fellows from The Takemi Program in International Health on bridging theory to practice in health and human rights. The weekly Takemi Seminar is the primary teaching activity of the Fellowship Program. For more information on the Takemi Program, click here.
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