Home
Centre for International Health

Gender, Generation and Social Mobilization (GESOMO)

Reproductive health is located at the heart of the UN’s millennium goals, and is found within the partner institutions’ research priorities. The project covers capacity building, curriculum development, research and dissemination.

Main content

GESOMO - Gender, Generation and Social Mobilization:  Challenges of Reproductive Health and Rights among Vulnerable Groups in Sudan, Tanzania and Ethiopia

Website
Funding:  Norad - NUFU
Principle investigator:  Astrid Blystad
Partners: Ahfad University for Women, Sudan, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, Institute of Social Work, Tanzania and University of Dar es Salaam (Department of History, School of Nursing) Tanzania
Duration:
2007 - 2012

Major focus:

  • Mother to child transmission of HIV (MTCT)
  • Obstetric and traumatic fistula (OF)
  • Female genital cutting (FGC)
  • Unsafe abortion (UA)
  • Infertility

Approach
The project employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative research approaches.

Impact:
- Training of eight PhD students within anthropology, sociology, history, health science and psychology
- Training of six MA students within health science
- Generation of knowledge linked to highly sensitive reproductive health challenges.
- Actively employ the knowledge impact on coming global health policy and intervention

Background:
The initiative involves partners from seven institutions in Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Norway. The thematic focus of the project involves an assessment of vulnerability- and stigma (risks), as well as rights- and mobilisation-related aspects (resources) of a set of particularly challenging reproductive health issues.

Gender- and generational perspectives, as well as critical theory/political economy inform the studies. The project is developed by scholars from the social sciences, health sciences, humanities, psychology and medicine with substantial experience in relevant research. It employs a combination of qualitative research approaches. Reproductive health is located at the heart of the UN's millennium goals, and is found within the institutions' research priorities. The project involves capacity building (seven PhD and five MA students, primarily female, south based students), curriculum development, research and dissemination.