Suchergebnisse

AbstractRates of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) are higher in urban slums than in other types of human settlements. Although the mitigation of both urban slums and IPVAW fall under the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, there is a paucity of work addressing the interconnection between the two. Using survey and interview data, this study examined how the environment in a Nairobi slum catalyzes IPVAW, elucidating how the slum environment, economic deprivation, cultural norms and women's economic role intersect to exacerbate IPVAW. Evidence indicates the desirability of addressing these connections in development initiatives to address both the slum‐environment and IPVAW.

The policy framework guiding Kenya's response to the AIDS epidemic identifies voluntary counseling and testing as crucial to risk reduction and HIV‐preventive activities. Yet in Kenya, as in most sub‐Saharan countries, voluntary testing rates are low, especially among young people. Using hierarchical linear models, we identify both individual‐ and teacher/school‐level factors that affect voluntary HIV testing among secondary school students in Kenya. Results indicate that adolescents are more likely to test for HIV serostatus when they are knowledgeable about testing, have been involved in HIV/AIDS activities in primary school, have been provided with HIV information in secondary school, perceive themselves as at high risk of contracting HIV or know of someone infected with or who has died from HIV/AIDS, and have ever engaged in sexual intercourse. Barriers include fear of going to testing centers and being perceived as HIV‐positive. Teacher/school‐level characteristics are relevant for explaining rates of HIV testing, especially among girls. To encourage testing, policymakers should attend to teacher/school‐level factors as well as individual characteristics of students.

Immigration presents a major life challenge, especially when the move is both geographical and across wide cultural divides. One of the areas of greatest challenge is in adjustments in gender and marital roles, perhaps because both of these are so close to the core of identity, self esteem, and sense of place in the world. This paper reports on research conducted with immigrants from Iran to Canada that examined how their experiences post-immigration affected their marital roles and relationship. Fifteen men and fifteen women who were born in Iran, immigrated to Canada, and were currently in heterosexual marriage or marriagelike relationships participated in in-depth interviews. Participants were well-educated, with none having less than 12 years of schooling and most having post-secondary training. Three highly imbricated areas of influence on their couple relationships emerged in the interviews: gender role adjustments, labour force difficulties, and changes in family structure. Consistent with the literature on immigrant adjustments, both men and women found each of these 3 posed challenges to their couple relationships. Men had difficulty accepting the freedom their wives had to dress, socialize and make decisions for themselves. Women also identified shortcomings to the "freedoms" they were afforded in Canada. The greatest challenge to men's identities as "good husbands" was their loss of the breadwinner role. Women and men both faced difficulties integrating into the Canadian labour force, with these difficulties leading some to express a desire to return to Iran. The loss of extended family support and social networking were linked to loneliness and absence of wise mediators to help with couple-conflicts, but were also described as contributing to greater mutuality and closeness in couples. Couples spoke of creating a new, bicultural, identity and lifestyle to counter the stresses and tensions of acculturation.