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Women's Job Search Behavior In The Egyptian Labor Market, Somaya Abdel Mowla 2011 Population Council

Women's Job Search Behavior In The Egyptian Labor Market, Somaya Abdel Mowla

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This study evaluates the difference between male and female job search behavior in the Egyptian labor market and the changes in this behavior between 1998 and 2006, in order to examine the effect of transition toward a market-oriented economy on job search activity. The paper also investigates the determinants of women’s job search behavior. The results reveal three alarming facts that raise worries about women’s labor force participation and their future labor market outcomes: women were less active job searchers than men, the gender gap in job search has widened, and this gap is even wider when excluding registration in …


Costing And Economic Analysis Of Strengthening Union Level Facility For Providing Normal Delivery And Newborn Care Services In Bangladesh, Sushil Ranjan Howlader 2011 Population Council

Costing And Economic Analysis Of Strengthening Union Level Facility For Providing Normal Delivery And Newborn Care Services In Bangladesh, Sushil Ranjan Howlader

Reproductive Health

For a long time, the reduction of the maternal mortality ratio has constituted a major challenge for the health, nutrition, and population sector of Bangladesh. The objectives of this Population Council study is to estimate the costs of the additional inputs required for strengthening Health and Family Welfare Centers (HFWC) for providing normal delivery and newborn care services, the cost-effectiveness, and the financial implications of the addition of capacity. Results clearly show that the benefit-cost ratio for the intervention will be quite high. Some additional measures on the demand side should thus adopted. Intensive behavior change communication activities including interpersonal …


Innovative Financing Through Pay-For-Performance For Providers To Improve Quality Of Care In Bangladesh: Transforming Research Into Action, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Laila Rahman, Ismat Ara Hena 2011 Population Council

Innovative Financing Through Pay-For-Performance For Providers To Improve Quality Of Care In Bangladesh: Transforming Research Into Action, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Laila Rahman, Ismat Ara Hena

Reproductive Health

To improve access to and use of facility-based obstetric and newborn care, the Government of Bangladesh is implementing two innovative performance-based financing programs, namely demand-side financing (DSF) and pay-for-performance (P4P). With the purpose of identifying the lessons learned, limitations of the P4P and DSF models, and scopes for cross learning, a two-day workshop was organized in Dhaka. This workshop report, prepared by the Population Council, resulted in several recommendations to modify DSF and P4P schemes. In Bangladesh, the need for continuing performance-based financing programs to meet MDGs and other health indicators is beyond argument, but it is urgently required to …


Using Evidence To Improve Primary Health Care In Thai Nguyen Province, Population Council 2011 Population Council

Using Evidence To Improve Primary Health Care In Thai Nguyen Province, Population Council

Reproductive Health

In partnership with a number of local stakeholders, the Population Council Viet Nam is working to improve the evidence base available to health authorities and to use that evidence to improve health in Thai Nguyen Province. Building on cooperation between the Population Council and the Thai Nguyen Health Department, the project detailed in this report has three main elements: 1) developing a computerized information system to generate regular reports; 2) supporting research in the province to better understand health problems, health-seeking behavior, and health services; and 3) increasing the capability of managers and providers to better use the evidence generated. …


Survey Of Domestic And Work Life Experience And Reproductive Health Of Women Workers Of Selected Industrial Compounds In Ha Noi, Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Nguyen Hong Phuong 2011 Population Council

Survey Of Domestic And Work Life Experience And Reproductive Health Of Women Workers Of Selected Industrial Compounds In Ha Noi, Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Nguyen Hong Phuong

Reproductive Health

The Population Council Viet Nam and local stakeholders undertook a collaborative project in Ha Noi entitled “Improving the health care response to gender-based violence.” The study’s objectives were: 1) to assess the knowledge and experience of female workers about gender-based violence; 2) to assess knowledge and practice of women workers on reproductive health focusing on abortion; and 3) to make recommendation for the Ha Noi Health Service to improve the women workers’ knowledge on gender-based violence, choice of contraceptive method, reproductive health care, and abortion. The women factory workers, who have higher levels of education than their peers in the …


Increasing Access To Safe Abortion In Rural Maharashtra: Outcomes Of A Comprehensive Abortion Care Model, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, A.J. Francis Zavier, Rajib Acharya, Shveta Kalyanwala 2011 Population Council

Increasing Access To Safe Abortion In Rural Maharashtra: Outcomes Of A Comprehensive Abortion Care Model, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, A.J. Francis Zavier, Rajib Acharya, Shveta Kalyanwala

Reproductive Health

This assessment of a Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) model was conducted by the Population Council on behalf of the Consortium for Safe Abortions in India. The goal of the Consortium is to increase access to legal, safe, and comprehensive abortion services, including post-abortion family planning, in the public health system, and especially among the rural poor. This report describes the CAC model implemented in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, and examines the extent to which the model improved (a) the availability and quality of abortion services in public sector facilities, and (b) women’s awareness and experiences with regard to abortion services. It …


Increasing Access To Safe Abortion In Rural Rajasthan: Outcomes Of A Comprehensive Abortion Care Model, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, A.J. Francis Zavier, Rajib Acharya, Shveta Kalyanwala 2011 Population Council

Increasing Access To Safe Abortion In Rural Rajasthan: Outcomes Of A Comprehensive Abortion Care Model, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, A.J. Francis Zavier, Rajib Acharya, Shveta Kalyanwala

Reproductive Health

This report describes an assessment by the Population Council of the Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) model implemented in Tonk district, Rajasthan. Findings highlight that at the time of the baseline survey, the availability of abortion services was limited; also evident was the poor quality of abortion-related care. Given this context, and given the short duration of implementation, the changes achieved by the intervention are promising. The district-level CAC model succeeded in strengthening facilities, training providers, and increasing women’s access to safe abortion services at the Primary Health Centre level. Community-level activities were less successful, attributable to a considerable extent to …


Expanding Access To Safe Abortion And Post-Abortion Care: Recommendations Of A South Asia Regional Consultation, Population Council 2011 Population Council

Expanding Access To Safe Abortion And Post-Abortion Care: Recommendations Of A South Asia Regional Consultation, Population Council

Reproductive Health

A South Asia Regional Consultation, organized by the Population Council with representation from governments and key stakeholders of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, was held in New Delhi, to discuss ways of expanding women’s access to safe abortion services. The Consultation deliberated on ways of expanding the provider base for safe induced abortion so as to overcome inadequate and inequitable access to safe abortion. They also looked to expand access to services for the management of incomplete abortion and complications of unsafe abortion that persist in the region and, thereby, to reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from unsafe abortion. In …


Introduction Of Medical Abortion In Ghana, Emmanuel Kuffour, Selina F. Esantsi, Placide Tapsoba, Gloria Quansah Asare, Ian Askew 2011 Population Council

Introduction Of Medical Abortion In Ghana, Emmanuel Kuffour, Selina F. Esantsi, Placide Tapsoba, Gloria Quansah Asare, Ian Askew

Reproductive Health

To significantly expand women’s access to modern family planning and comprehensive abortion care services a provisional license was awarded to Marie Stopes International-Ghana by the Ghana Food and Drugs Board for the introduction and provision of the first medical abortion regimen (mifepristone and misoprostol) in Ghana. The Population Council conducted this study to document the introduction process; findings from the study will provide much needed evidence to inform policy decisionmaking and the scale-up phase. Overall the study has shown that medical abortion is a viable option for Ghanaian women--an overwhelming number of those who have benefitted from the procedure are …


Female Genital Mutilation Practices In Kenya: The Role Of Alternative Rites Of Passage. A Case Study Of Kisii And Kuria Districts, Habil Oloo, Monica Wanjiru, Katy Newell-Jones 2011 Population Council

Female Genital Mutilation Practices In Kenya: The Role Of Alternative Rites Of Passage. A Case Study Of Kisii And Kuria Districts, Habil Oloo, Monica Wanjiru, Katy Newell-Jones

Reproductive Health

This research was undertaken by the Population Council to better understand female genital mutilation (FGM) as currently practiced by the Kuria and Kisii communities in Kenya. The study investigated current attitudes and practices in relation to FGM, awareness and attitudes toward the alternative rite of passage (ARP), and factors which encourage individuals to make decisions to abandon FGM. The findings show that FGM is still a celebrated public event among the Kuria, whereas in Kisii, it is a private family affair. The study suggests that the success of ARP as an approach to abandoning FGM is strongly dependent on the …


Comprehensive Responses To Sexual Violence In East And Southern Africa: Lessons Learned From Implementation, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew, Monica Wanjiru, Grace Chiyaba, Kate Wilson, Felly Nkweto Simmonds 2011 Population Council

Comprehensive Responses To Sexual Violence In East And Southern Africa: Lessons Learned From Implementation, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew, Monica Wanjiru, Grace Chiyaba, Kate Wilson, Felly Nkweto Simmonds

Reproductive Health

The Population Council has provided technical assistance and conducted research to strengthen the evidence base on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) programming in sub-Saharan Africa, where countries have begun to recognize the importance of both preventing violence and responding to the needs of SGBV survivors. These activities have created an active network of partners from across sub-Saharan Africa, who are developing, implementing, and evaluating core elements of a comprehensive, multisectoral response model. This brief reports how network partners have significantly increased the evidence base on program responses: a range of successful approaches have been demonstrated for improving comprehensive services within …


Scaling Up The Provision Of Family Planning Messages In Antenatal And Postpartum Services In Upper Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher 2011 Population Council

Scaling Up The Provision Of Family Planning Messages In Antenatal And Postpartum Services In Upper Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher

Reproductive Health

An operations research study by the Population Council’s FRONTIERS program in 20 facilities in Upper Egypt showed that integration of birth spacing messages into antenatal and postpartum care was feasible, acceptable to women and their husbands, and was associated with increased postpartum contraception. This report describes the initial and scale-up phases, their outcomes, challenges, and recommendations for improvement. In addition to successfully scaling up the program, the main achievement was securing the support and investment of senior MoHP officials at the central level, as well as the support and commitment of managers and supervisors at governorate and district levels. The …


The Prevention And Management Of Hiv And Sexual And Gender-Based Violence: Responding To The Needs Of Survivors And Those-At-Risk, Sarah Raifman, Ian Askew, Sajeda Amin, Jill Keesbury, Saiqa Mullick, Judith A. Diers, Meiwita P. Budiharsana, Chi-Chi Undie, Mary Zama, Mantshi Menziwa, Sherry Hutchinson, Naomi Rutenberg 2011 Population Council

The Prevention And Management Of Hiv And Sexual And Gender-Based Violence: Responding To The Needs Of Survivors And Those-At-Risk, Sarah Raifman, Ian Askew, Sajeda Amin, Jill Keesbury, Saiqa Mullick, Judith A. Diers, Meiwita P. Budiharsana, Chi-Chi Undie, Mary Zama, Mantshi Menziwa, Sherry Hutchinson, Naomi Rutenberg

Reproductive Health

The Population Council seeks to understand the social, economic, political, and physical context of risks for sexual and gender-based violence and HIV. Among the top priorities of Council research are supporting and evaluating efforts to prevent violence and HIV, including creating safe spaces for adolescent girls, and working with men and boys to change gender norms within the community; and comprehensively responding to the needs of survivors (including those who are HIV-infected) by strengthening health systems and integrating services. The purpose of this guide is to provide practical guidance on the steps necessary to establish and strengthen sexual violence (SV) …


Community Health Workers And The Media Can Be Effective In Providing Health Information To Married Adolescent Girls In The Community, Population Council 2011 Population Council

Community Health Workers And The Media Can Be Effective In Providing Health Information To Married Adolescent Girls In The Community, Population Council

Reproductive Health

Past research has found that married adolescent girls in Nyanza Province, Kenya, face higher risks of HIV infection than unmarried but sexually active girls their age in the province and other parts of the country. To address this challenge, the Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project, in collaboration with Well Told Story and the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, developed a study to assess the effectiveness of an intervention designed to increase married adolescent girls’ access to comprehensive reproductive health and HIV information and services in Homa Bay and Rachuonyo districts. The study found that using interactive communication …


Community Health Workers Can Effectively Provide Information And Referrals To People Living With Hiv In Their Communities, Population Council 2011 Population Council

Community Health Workers Can Effectively Provide Information And Referrals To People Living With Hiv In Their Communities, Population Council

Reproductive Health

A number of studies reported high levels of sexually transmitted infections among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Unfortunately, prevention interventions targeting PLHIV in the community are not common in Kenya, and most PLHIV who are not on ART have limited access to prevention information and risk-reduction counseling. The Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project conducted a research project to address these gaps. This study was conducted in 2010 in collaboration with the International Center for Reproductive Health and the National AIDS and STI Control Programme. The findings show that the intervention had a number of positive outcomes and concludes …


A Pay-For-Performance Innovation Integrating The Quantity And Quality Of Care In Maternal, Newborn And Child Health Services In Bangladesh, Laila Rahman, Ubaidur Rob, Riad Mahmud, Azizul Alim, Ismat Ara Hena, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Md. Hafizur Rahman 2011 Population Council

A Pay-For-Performance Innovation Integrating The Quantity And Quality Of Care In Maternal, Newborn And Child Health Services In Bangladesh, Laila Rahman, Ubaidur Rob, Riad Mahmud, Azizul Alim, Ismat Ara Hena, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Md. Hafizur Rahman

Reproductive Health

The Population Council explored the possibilities of introducing a Pay-for-Performance (P4P) scheme in Bangladesh to improve maternal, newborn and child healthcare (MNCH) services. Based on the consultation and with guidance from the Government of Bangladesh, the Population Council and UNICEF provided technical assistance to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to test two P4P strategies for MNCH service providers to improve service volume and quality of care, and for poor clients to receive services subsidized through vouchers or coupons. The first strategy is a combination of pay-for-performance for providers and subsidized coupons for poor pregnant women, newborns, and under-five …


Levels, Trends And Determinants Of Contraceptive Use Among Adolescent Girls In Kenya, Francis Obare, Harriet Birungi, Chi-Chi Undie, Monica Wanjiru, Wilson Liambila, Ian Askew 2011 Population Council

Levels, Trends And Determinants Of Contraceptive Use Among Adolescent Girls In Kenya, Francis Obare, Harriet Birungi, Chi-Chi Undie, Monica Wanjiru, Wilson Liambila, Ian Askew

Reproductive Health

In Kenya, recent trends in contraceptive use among currently married women aged 15–49 years show that after experiencing a stall between 1998 and 2003, the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) increased between 2003 and 2008–2009. Although the increase in CPR after 2003 is encouraging, there is limited understanding of how these changes affected adolescents, especially girls, given the unique sexual and reproductive health challenges that they face. This report is based on a secondary analysis of the Kenya Demographic and Health Surveys (KDHS) data to understand the trends, differentials, and determinants of contraceptive use among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years in …


Integrating Tuberculosis Case Finding And Treatment Into Postnatal Care, Charity Ndwiga, Harriet Birungi, Chi-Chi Undie, Shiphrah Kuria, Joseph Sitienei, Sam Ochola 2011 Population Council

Integrating Tuberculosis Case Finding And Treatment Into Postnatal Care, Charity Ndwiga, Harriet Birungi, Chi-Chi Undie, Shiphrah Kuria, Joseph Sitienei, Sam Ochola

Reproductive Health

Under the USAID funded FRONTIERS program, the Population Council conducted a study in six health facilities in Western Kenya that demonstrated that screening for TB within an antenatal care (ANC) setting is feasible and acceptable among the service providers. However, a major challenge remains: although TB detection is encouraged among ANC clients within the maternal and child health clinics in the country, providers in these settings fail to appreciate the need for a continuum of care from pregnancy through to the postnatal period. In order to address this gap, the APHIA II Operations Research Project developed and tested an intervention …


Making Hiv Services More Responsive To Young Children And Infants In Nyanza, Monica Wanjiru 2011 Population Council

Making Hiv Services More Responsive To Young Children And Infants In Nyanza, Monica Wanjiru

Reproductive Health

Health workers in Kenya often miss opportunities to discuss pediatric HIV with clients and to track exposed children in order to initiate treatment. To address this problem, the Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project collaborated with the Christian Health Association of Kenya, Catholic Relief Services, and the Kendu Adventist Hospital to improve HIV testing and treatment services for children at the hospital. The project recommended that pediatric HIV services be strengthened and included as an essential service at all levels of healthcare facilities in order to reach more children, including as one of the roles of the community health …


Operationalizing And Scaling Up Hiv/Rh Referrals In Kenya: The Way Forward, APHIA II OR Project in Kenya 2011 Population Council

Operationalizing And Scaling Up Hiv/Rh Referrals In Kenya: The Way Forward, Aphia Ii Or Project In Kenya

Reproductive Health

This policy brief describes the APHIA II Operations Research Project through which the Population Council and Kenya’s Ministry of Health (MOH) developed and tested an approach to systematically link HIV-positive family planning (FP) clients to treatment and care services. Key activities included provider training and testing of a referral package which showed how, where, when, and who is to make and receive referrals. This referral package consisted of a directory listing all facilities in the vicinity available for services including HIV counseling and testing, FP, STIs, tuberculosis, and well-child checks; and referral forms directing clients to appropriate receiving clinics. The …


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