Reproductive injustice, trans rights, and eugenics.

This article explores how the recognition of the gender identity of trans people can have negative consequences on their reproductive health and rights. First, it argues that, while both the right to gender identity and the right to sexual and reproductive health are part of the indivisible core of human rights, in practice trans people are forced to choose between them. Understanding this scenario requires focusing on the eugenic dimensions of trans policies, even in states where the recognition of a gender identity other than that assigned at birth is not tied to surgical or hormonal compromises. The concept of "passive eugenics", coined over twenty years ago by James Bowman, offers a valuable key in this respect. Second, the paper highlights some factors that hinder a successful approach to the reproductive health and rights of trans people. These factors include: the normative imageries about the reproductive capacities and desires of trans people, representations about pregnancy and "womanhood", and the form taken by identity politics in contemporary feminist movements. The attention given as a priority (if not exclusively) to initiatives for the legalisation of voluntary abortion, understood as a right pertaining to (cis) women, offers a significant example of these difficulties. Finally, the paper advocates the adoption of a reproductive justice approach to work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, arguing that it has, among other virtues, that of challenging the binary matrix that characterises Western thought.

Access to public health services and integral care for women during the puerperal gravid period period in Ceará, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Over time, the Brazilian health system, a growing country, has been developing to ensure good accessibility to health goods and services. This development is focusing on the principle of universality of access and completeness of health care. In this context, we aimed to evaluate the completeness of care and universality of access for women in their pregnancy and puerperal period in Ceará, Brazil. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study based on a quantitative approach, using information collected from the database of the regulation system of the state of Ceará and data from the Prenatal Monitoring System. The research population comprised of 1701 women who delivered a baby in an obstetric reference unit in the Health Macro-Region of Cariri, Ceará, Brazil from January to December 2015. RESULTS: There was a high rate of cesarean delivery (49.7%) and a high waiting time for access to high-risk delivery (32.6%) and neonatal intensive care unit (72.9%). There was also a low percentage (41.1%) of pregnant women undergoing an adequate number of prenatal consultations, dental care (20%), educational activities (15%), visits to the maternity ward (0.1%), laboratory tests of the third trimester (29.2%) and puerperal consultation (37.9%). CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that the Maternal and Child Health Policy, especially the Rede Cegonha, which is still under development, does not ensure access and completeness of care for women during the prenatal, delivery, and puerperal periods, thus violating their reproductive rights. The results of this study allow a critical analysis by the academia and health managers in search of strategies to improve the services of Rede Cegonha in Brazil.

Encuesta a posgrados de pediatría sobre conocimiento y aplicación de los derechos de los niños y adolescentes en la práctica clínica / Survey of postgraduate pediatrics students on knowledge and application of children and adolescents rights in clinical practice / Pesquisa entre estudantes de pós-graduação em pediatria sobre conhecimento e aplicação dos direitos de crianças e adolescentes na prática clínica

La concepción de niñez y adolescencia es una construcción socio-histórica que ha evolucionado en el tiempo. En el paradigma actual se reconocen como sujetos de derecho. El cambio en el modelo de atención debe implicar prácticas basadas en este paradigma Objetivos: Describir el conocimiento de los médicos que cursan el posgrado de Pediatría sobre las normativas de derechos de los niños y adolescentes y conocer su percepción sobre la aplicación del enfoque de derechos en la práctica clínica. Metodología: encuesta anónima administrada por los investigadores o vía e-mail a estudiantes de posgrados de pediatría. Se exploran tres dimensiones: conocimiento de la existencia de normativas sobre derechos de niños y adolescentes y su utilización en la resolución de problemas en la práctica, y aplicación del enfoque de derechos en las prácticas clínicas de los encuestados y observada en otros integrantes del equipo de salud. Resultados: Se administraron 180 encuestas, respondieron 77 (43%). 97.4% refirieron conocer la existencia de alguna de las normativas, de estos 25.3% no las aplica en la resolución de problemas. La mayoría de los médicos refieran observar la vulneración de los derechos en su etapa de formación. Conclusiones: a pesar del conocimiento de existencia de normativas, existen dificultades para que las prácticas clínicas tengan un enfoque de derechos respetando a los niños, niñas y adolescentes como sujetos de derechos.

The conception of childhood and adolescence is a social and historical construction that has evolved over the time. In the current paradigm, they are recognized as subjects of rights. The change in the attention care model should imply practices based on this paradigm. Objectives: describe the knowledge of physicians enrolled in postgraduate pediatric courses on the rights of children and adolescents and know their perception on the application of the rights approach in clinical practice Methodology: anonymous survey administered by researchers or by email to postgraduate pediatrics students. Three categories are explored: knowledge of the existence of regulations on the rights of children and adolescents and their use in the resolution of problems in practice, application of the rights approach in the clinical practices of the respondents and observed in other members of the healthcare team. Results: 180 surveys were conducted, 77 responded (43%). Whereas 97.4% reported knowing the existence of some of the regulations, 25.3% do not apply them in the resolution of problems. Most physicians report that they observe the violation of rights in their training stages. Conclusions: despite knowledge of the existence of regulations, there are difficulties to effectively conduct a rights-based approach that respects children and adolescents as subjects of rights.

A concepção de infância e adolescência é uma construção sócio-histórica que evoluiu ao longo do tempo. No paradigma atual, crianças e adolescentes são reconhecidos como sujeitos de direitos. A mudança no modelo de cuidados deve implicar práticas baseadas nesse paradigma Objetivos: Descrever o conhecimento dos médicos matriculados no curso de pós-graduação pediátrica sobre os direitos das crianças e adolescentes e conhecer sua percepção da aplicação da abordagem de direitos humanos na prática clínica. Metodologia: Pesquisa anônima administrada por pesquisadores ou via e-mail aos estudantes do curso pós-graduação pediátrica. São exploradas três dimensões: conhecimento da existência de regulamentos sobre os direitos das crianças e adolescentes, seu uso na resolução de problemas na prática e aplicação da abordagem de direitos nas práticas clínicas dos entrevistados e dos outros membros da equipe de saúde. Resultados: foram realizadas 180 pesquisas, 77 responderam (43%). 97,4% relataram saber a existência de qualquer um dos regulamentos, destes 25,3% não os aplicam na resolução de problemas. A maioria dos médicos relata observar a violação dos direitos na fase de treinamento. Conclusões: Apesar do conhecimento da existência de regulamentos, há dificuldades para que as práticas clínicas tenham uma abordagem baseada em direitos respeitando crianças e adolescentes como sujeitos de direitos.

Vulnerabilidad impuesta y violación sistemática a los derechos de las mujeres indígenas en México / Imposed vulnerability and systematic violation of the indigenous women rights in Mexico

En México el reconocimiento a los derechos de las mujeres ha transitado un largo camino, acompañado muchas veces de experiencias difíciles para hacerlos valer. Desde 1930 se lucha por el reconocimiento de dichos derechos, se han signado ordenamientos, leyes nacionales e internacionales que norman todo a lo que las mujeres tienen acceso. Sin embargo, los estudios, encuestas y denuncias demuestran lo contrario. Este artículo abordó la problemática que las mujeres indígenas viven en México para que sean respetados y reconocidos sus derechos, específicamente los reproductivos y, particularmente, la esterilización impuesta, que además de violar su derecho a decidir por las instituciones encargadas de cuidar su salud, les genera problemas ginecológicos y rechazo por su pareja (AU).

Women's rights recognition in Mexico has gone through a long way, accompanied many times by difficult experiences to make them true. The fights for the recognition of those rights date back to 1930. Orders, national and international laws have been signed ruling all the rights to which women have access. However, studies, surveys and reports prove the entire contrary. This article approaches the problems affronted by the indigenous women who live in Mexico for the recognition and respect of their rights specially the reproductive ones and, particularly, the imposed sterilization, that besides the violation of their rights to decide from the part of the institutions in charge of taking care for their health, causes them gynecological problems and their couples rejection (AU).

Vulnerabilidad impuesta y violación sistemática a los derechos de las mujeres indígenas en México / Imposed vulnerability and systematic violation of the indigenous women rights in Mexico

En México el reconocimiento a los derechos de las mujeres ha transitado un largo camino, acompañado muchas veces de experiencias difíciles para hacerlos valer. Desde 1930 se lucha por el reconocimiento de dichos derechos, se han signado ordenamientos, leyes nacionales e internacionales que norman todo a lo que las mujeres tienen acceso. Sin embargo, los estudios, encuestas y denuncias demuestran lo contrario. Este artículo abordó la problemática que las mujeres indígenas viven en México para que sean respetados y reconocidos sus derechos, específicamente los reproductivos y, particularmente, la esterilización impuesta, que además de violar su derecho a decidir por las instituciones encargadas de cuidar su salud, les genera problemas ginecológicos y rechazo por su pareja (AU).

Women's rights recognition in Mexico has gone through a long way, accompanied many times by difficult experiences to make them true. The fights for the recognition of those rights date back to 1930. Orders, national and international laws have been signed ruling all the rights to which women have access. However, studies, surveys and reports prove the entire contrary. This article approaches the problems affronted by the indigenous women who live in Mexico for the recognition and respect of their rights specially the reproductive ones and, particularly, the imposed sterilization, that besides the violation of their rights to decide from the part of the institutions in charge of taking care for their health, causes them gynecological problems and their couples rejection (AU).

Framing and the politics of public health: an examination of competing health narratives in Honduras.

According to the World Bank, Honduras is a health and development success story. Over the past few decades, it has experienced economic growth, expanded public health infrastructure, and improved key health indicators. However, these achievements do not serve as evidence of success for global public health agencies, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). The WHO has identified Honduras as a 'priority country' due to extreme levels of poverty, inequality, indebtedness, and poor health. What accounts for these divergent evaluations, and what are their consequences for vulnerable and marginalised populations? I argue that the framing of health is important and demands examination because it reveals political dynamics and shapes policy options. Furthermore, individual frames are incomplete, differentially inclusive, and ultimately inadequate as explanatory and analytic frameworks.

Compreendendo a laicidade e sua aplicação em saúde pública / Understanding laicity and public health conexion

A busca pelo respeito da pluralidade em termos de diversidade cultural, étnica, religiosa, filosófica, de crença, de não crença, de convicções, de opções sexuais, enfim, de diferentes formas de liberdade de consciência torna-se cada vez mais necessária visando uma convivência harmônica e pacífica em sociedade. Para tanto, a laicidade é um instrumento social capaz de garantir a liberdade de consciência, a autonomia do civil frente ao religioso e a não discriminação, uma vez que pode ser definida como a transição a um regime social cujas instituições políticas se legitimam crescentemente pela soberania popular e não por elementos sagrados ou religiosos. Atualmente, muitas discussões no contexto da saúde têm trazido à tona questões que envolvem não apenas conflitos em razão de pertencimento religioso, mas também crenças e não crenças de maneira geral, bem como situações envolvendo questões de gênero e de direitos sexuais e reprodutivos. Neste contexto, a laicidade possui aplicabilidade nas questões relativas à saúde de maneira geral, sobretudo naquelas afetas ao pertencimento religioso e aos direitos sexuais e reprodutivos, podendo contribuir fomentando a reflexão sobre o respeito pela diferença, a não discriminação e a garantia da liberdade de consciência de cada um.

The search of respect for diversity in terms of diversity of culture, ethnicity, religion, philosophy, belief, lack of belief, convictions, sexual options, ultimately, regarding the different forms of freedom of conscience becomes increasingly necessary in order to achieve peaceful and harmonious social coexistence. With this purpose, laicity is a social instrument that can guarantee freedom of conscience, independence of the civil aspects from religious aspects and from non-discrimination, since it can be defined as the transition to a social system whose political institutions are increasingly legitimized by popular sovereignty instead of religious or sacred elements. Today, many discussions in the context of health care have brought up issues that involve not only conflicts related to religion, but also beliefs and lack of belief in general, as well as situations involving issues of gender and sexual and reproductive rights. In this context, laicity can be applied to health issues in general, especially those affecting the religious bonds and sexual and reproductive rights, which may stimulate reflection on the respect for difference, non-discrimination and guarantee of everyone's freedom of conscience.

The medical profession and the defense and promotion of sexual and reproductive rights.

The values of the medical profession and other healthcare providers allow assessment of the relationship between physicians, healthcare teams, patients, and healthcare networks regarding the defense and promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights. This paper questions the traditional model of the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients, based on the classic paternalistic role of the physician. It describes the tools available to the medical profession and healthcare teams for the promotion of sexual and reproductive rights, and proposes specific actions that would lead to improvements for women and communities.