African Journal of Gender and Women Studies

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Challenges and experiences of women in the forestry sector in Nepal

Maria Elisa Christie¹* and Kalpana Giri²

¹Office of International Research, Education and Development, Virginia Tech, 526 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA.

²Forest Action Nepal, Satdobato, Lalitpur, P. O. Box: 12207, Nepal. 

Accepted 08 September, 2018

Abstract

This article asks why there are relatively few women at the Institute of Forestry (IOF) and in the field of forestry in Nepal. It explores the obstacles to entering and succeeding in this male-dominated field from women’s perspectives, and makes recommendations for increasing their participation. Based on “focus group discussions” and interviews with nearly 50 women, the authors considered issues of power and participation relevant to the gendered experience and profession of forestry in Nepal. Obstacles ranged from socio-cultural biases against women, to harassment during field trips, to being assigned purely administrative duties in the workplace. The article draws on theoretical approaches to gender in organizations, masculinities, and gendered knowledge. It calls for equitable, institutional transformation at the IOF that would in turn help graduates to better address social aspects of forestry.

Key words: Gender, masculinities, equity, women’s narratives, forestry, inclusion, institute of forestry, Nepal.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Gendering of work and its implications on youth sexuality in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Francisca Isi Omorodion

Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, N9B 3P4. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 12 November, 2018

Abstract

This paper examines the nature of gendering work among youth living in two oil-producing communities, Gelegele and Ogulagha of Nigeria, and its implications on youth sexuality, in terms of their perception and use of condom and HIV/AIDS. Data collection techniques used includes observation and in-depth interviews with ten youth from Gelegele and fifteen youth from Ogulagha, from January to April 2003. A total of 25 youth, fifteen females and ten males, participated in this data collection. Prior to each interview, we obtained verbal consent from volunteers. Data analyses started with verbatim translation and transcriptions. Transcriptions were read and re-read several times to identify the major themes and content analysis undertaken by the researcher. We obtained records of timeline for the economic activities of consenting youth. It was found that gendering work in these communities led to more female youth in the traditional occupations of trading, fishing and commercial sex work, while male youth with or without formal education either worked in the oil servicing companies or were on “standby” pay. Male youth earned higher income, which privileges males and reduces the power of female youth to negotiate sex and condom use. It was concluded that Empowering youth through formal education and equal job opportunities in these communities will promote quality of life by discouraging exchange of sex for wealth and promoting the use of condom.

Key words: Gender, work, youth and oil-producing communities, Nigeria.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 3 (6), pp. 194-201, June, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Tenofovir and lamivudine in late pregnancy to prevent perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus in highly viremic mothers in Vietnam

Nguyen Van Bang¹, Le Thi Lan Anh¹, Nguyen Thi Van Anh², Vu Tuong Van³, Philippe Halfon⁴ and Marc Bourlière⁵

¹Department of Pediatrics, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam.

²Department of Medical Education/Skills Lab,Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam.

³Department of Microbilogy, Machmai Hospital, Vietnam.

⁴AlphaBio Labo, European Hospital, Marseille, France

⁵Department of Gastro-hepatology, Saint Joseph Hospital, Marseille, France.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 14 July, 2014

Abstract

We evaluated effect and safety of lamivudine and tenofovir in late pregnancy for preventing perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to infants born to highly viremic mothers. A total of 82 pregnant chronic HBsAg(+) women with high viremia (>10⁷ copies/mL) at 32 weeks of gestation were randomly located in 2 groups (lamivudine 100mg or tenofovir 300mg daily for 8 weeks of prepartum to week 4 pospartum). Infants received recombinant HBV vaccine without HBIg and were followed until week 52. We noted a sharp decrease of mean maternal viral load from 5.09 x 10⁸ ± 3.19 x 10⁸ copies/mL at week 32 of gestation to 1.13 x 10⁶ ± 3.91 x 10 ⁶ at labor (p<0.001) with 2 undetectable HBV DNA cases (2.4%). The viral load reduction was stronger in tenofovir-treated mothers than in lamivudine-treated ones (p<0.028), particularly in 4 log₁₀ reduction (p<0.001). At birth, HBsAg was positive in 21/82 (25.6%) and HBV DNA detectable in 7/82 newborns (8.5%). At week 52, HBsAg and HBV DNA was present in serum of 2/82 infants (2.4%). Both tenofovir and lamivudine in late pregnancy showed the same safety and strikingly reduced perinatal transmission of HBV to infants born to highly viremic mothers.

Key Words: Hepatitis B virus, mother-to-child perinatal transmission, highly viremic women, lamivudine, tenofovir; late pregnancy.

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN 2516-9831 Vol. 3 (6), pp. 181-185, June, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Intestinal infections and anaemia among pregnant women in Ghana

Sambo D. A^1*, Presely F. A¹, Van E. Morgan² and Obahor Cyril²

¹Department of Clinical Microbiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.

²Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 02 November, 2014

Abstract

There was an important connection stuck between hookworm infection and low iron stores. The study concluded that hookworm infection is a strong predictor of iron status. These findings buttress the need to make available anthelminthic therapy to infected women before conception as a public health strategy in reducing the incidence of hookworm infection, and also to make available nutritional and iron supplements to successfully control anaemia in pregnancy. Intestinal helminths are among the most common and widespread of human infections, contributing to poor nutritional status, anaemia and impaired growth. Anaemia and iron deficiency in pregnancy is a major public health issues in developing countries, but their causes are not always known. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of anaemia and iron deficiency and their association with helminths, among pregnant women in Ghana.

Key words: Anaemia, helminths, iron deficiency, primigravids, infestation.