Footsteps 24

WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES

In this issue of Footsteps, we look at a number of health issues concerning women, that are not often discussed openly. Though the issues are all directly to do with women’s health we trust they will also be of interest to our male readers, as these are all issues which men need to understand, care about and, in some cases, to act upon. Some, like female excision, raise important issues of social change in beliefs and custom.

Women are often regarded as second class citizens, taught to feel ashamed of their bodies and normal needs and functions. Yet in God’s eyes we are all of equal value and concern.

Please find below articles from Footsteps issue 24 in html.

To download a pdf version of Footsteps issue 24 click here (769K).

Bible study Women at wells. Every day hundreds of millions of women draw water from wells for their family’s needs. This water does not come easily. Some women pump water from bore wells, some draw water from ancient wells by hand and some in dry areas must d... More >>

Editorial Women's health - the taboo subjects. In this issue of Footsteps, we look at a number of health issues concerning women, that are not often discussed openly. Though the issues are all directly to do with women’s health we trust they will also be of... More >>

Excision What should we think? by Dr Halimatou Bourdanne. Excision is a common ritual practice in certain African countries, especially the Ivory Coast where I live. It is carried out by certain ethnic groups. It consists of removing a greater or lesser part... More >>

Gelatine Tray Duplicator - A low-cost copying system Large projects usually have duplicating machines or photocopiers when written material such as letters, booklets or notes needs to be copied. But small projects often lack funds for a duplicator. They are unable to copy written materials to help the... More >>

Green Mango Chutney The hospital of St Francis, Katete, in Zambia’s Eastern Province, is well supplied with mango trees. This is typical of hundreds of other hospitals throughout tropical Africa, Asia and Latin America. What may not be so typical is the waste of mangoes... More >>

Gully erosion After heavy rainfall, water will drain away. If soil conservation methods – such as barriers and plant cover – are not used, the rain water may carry soil with it. Small channels begin. As these grow, they are known as gullies. Large gullies often d... More >>

Harvesting fruit the easy way Harvesting fruit from tall trees can be a problem. Some people ask young children to climb the trees and harvest ripe fruit. If the children don’t have a basket, they throw the fruit to the ground. The children may fall and injure themselves as the... More >>

Letters Experiments to control whitefly. We find that by growing tomatoes and sweet potatoes together, we obtain good control of whitefly. We have carried out experiments in two areas using different varieties of sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Tomato seeds a... More >>

Menopause - another change in our lives There are several important changes in a woman’s life that include: puberty childbearing menopause. The start of puberty is seen by the physical changes in a girl’s body, leading to her first period. In the same way there are physical cha... More >>

Menstruation issues in Bangladesh by Allison Mathews. Menstruation is a natural event, affecting women and girls of reproductive age. For most women it occurs once a month. Each month the uterus produces a special lining, rich in blood, which will protect and feed the fertilised eg... More >>

Obstetric Fistula: an unknown tragedy by Dr Steven Arrowsmith. Recently, women's health issues have begun to receive long-deserved attention from the international community. However, one of the greatest tragedies facing women in the developing world today remains relatively unknown. I... More >>

Resources Women’s Groups, NGOs and Safe Motherhood by Marge Berer Reference WHO/FHE/MSM/92.3 A description of the different ways in which health care for women can be improved at grass roots level. It is full of case studies, practical examples of the proble... More >>

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