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Where boys don’t dance, but women still thrive: using a development approach as a means of reconciling the right to health with the legitimization of cultural practices
- Source :
- BMC International Health and Human Rights, BMC International Health and Human Rights, Vol 20, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2020)
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- BioMed Central, 2020.
-
Abstract
- Human rights language has become a common method of internationally denouncing violent, discriminatory or otherwise harmful practices, notably by framing them as reprehensible violations of those fundamental rights we obtain by virtue of being human. While often effective, such women’s rights discourse becomes delicate when used to challenge practices, which are of important cultural significance to the communities in which they are practiced. This paper analyses human rights language to challenge the gender disparity in access to health care and in overall health outcomes in certain countries where such disparities are influenced by important cultural values and practices. This paper will provide selected examples of machismo and marianismo discourses in certain Latin American countries on the one hand and of female genital cutting/excision (FGC/E) in practicing countries, both of which exposed to women’s rights language, notably for causing violations of women’s right to health. In essence, a reflective exercise is provided here with the argument that framing such discourses and practices as women’s rights violations. Calling for their abandonment have shown that it may not only be ineffective nor at times appropriate, it also risks delegitimizing associated discourses, norms and practices thereby enhancing criticisms of the women’s rights movement rather than adopting its principles. A sensitive community-based collaborative approach aimed at understanding and building cultural discourses to one, which promotes women’s capabilities and health, is proposed as a more effective means at bridging cultural and gender gaps.
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
Virtue
Cultural norms and practices
Dance
Debate
media_common.quotation_subject
Culture
Fundamental rights
Human rights discourse
Global Health
Women’s health
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Right to Health
Political science
Health care
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Healthcare Disparities
media_common
030505 public health
Right to health
Human rights
business.industry
Public health
lcsh:Public aspects of medicine
Female genital cutting/excision
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Gender studies
lcsh:RA1-1270
Gender inequity
Framing (social sciences)
Latin America
Circumcision, Female
Women's Rights
Female
0305 other medical science
business
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1472698X
- Volume :
- 20
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- BMC International Health and Human Rights
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a4a86ece58ca0315984352e54eadb553