View featured projects in the following three fields:
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
The Reproductive Health and Human Rights Legal and Policy Tool
GHHR has worked with The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Department of Reproductive Health and Research (RHR) since 2001. Through this collaboration, GHHR has developed a tool which uses human rights norms and standards to address legal, policy and regulatory barriers to the fulfillment of sexual and reproductive health and to the provision of quality services. Field-tested in Brazil, Mozambique, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan, this year marked the finalization of the Tool and preparation for release as a standard instrument of WHO’s RHR department.
The Evidence of Impact of a Human Rights-Based Approach on Women’s Health and Children’s Health
This project is intended to provide compelling evidence of the benefits of a human rights-based approach to women’s health and children’s health. In collaboration with the WHO and the University of Lancaster, this includes a systematic literature review and a series of case studies to document such evidence, as well as development of a research agenda. The end result of the review will be a multi-authored WHO Monograph on the topic.
Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law
In order to foster the respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights related to sexuality and sexual health, GHHR has been working with the WHO and other partners to conduct comprehensive legal and jurisprudential research and analysis across the globe. Outputs include a WHO report covering topics ranging from gender identity and expression to the criminalization of sex and sexuality.
The Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Research Network
Launched in Spring 2012, this network aims to improve health outcomes and rights realization by building capacity for rigorous sexual and reproductive health research informed by a rights agenda. The Steering Committee is comprised of individuals representing institutions from eight countries around the world.
The Pregnancy Decisions of Women Living with HIV
GHHR is developing a supplement for Reproductive Health Matters on this topic. It comprises peer-reviewed academic articles from a range of countries which identify key gaps in current knowledge and highlight the value of multi-disciplinary efforts to support women living with HIV to stay healthy and fulfill their reproductive and sexual rights.
Family Planning and Human Rights Implementation Tool
GHHR is working with the WHO to provide family planning and sexual and reproductive health service providers with a method for assuring the delivery of, and identification of barriers to, quality family planning and related preventative health information and services in accordance with human rights principles, norms and standards.
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HIV and Human Rights
Evaluating the Impact of Integrating Legal Support and Health Services for People Living with HIV
GHHR is collaborating with the Open Society Institute (OSI) to use human rights concepts and methods to evaluate the impacts of the work of four Kenyan NGOs that integrate legal aid and health services. This work has documented the benefits to affected communities of providing integrated services, as well as of developing novel evaluation methods.
The Institute of Medicine’s Committee for the Outcome and Evaluation of Global HIV/AIDS Programs Implemented Under the Lantos-Hyde Act of 2008
This Committee is congressionally mandated to complete an assessment of the performance of United States assisted global HIV/AIDS programs and provide an evaluation of HIV prevention, treatment, and care efforts that are funded by the United States government. Professor Gruskin serves as an appointed committee member.
The Global Commission on HIV and the Law
Supported by the United Nations Development Programme, this Commission’s mandate is to analyze existing evidence and generate new evidence on the impact of the legal and human rights climate on HIV prevention, care and support around the world. Professor Gruskin serves as a member of the Technical Advisory Group to the Commission.
Roles and Responsibilities in Realizing Health and Human Rights: The Pharmaceutical Industry and Its Interactions with Other Actors
In 2013, GHHR, in collaboration with the Merck Company Foundation, will host a conference at USC for academics, activists and individuals working in the private sector to discuss the health-related human rights responsibilities of the pharmaceutical industry and other non-state actors. Informed by this event, GHHR will create a USC distance-learning course on the topic.
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Child and Adolescent Health and Rights
Building on a long history of work in this area, GHHR is expanding its efforts through new collaborations.
Interpreting the Child’s Right to Health
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has determined the need to better define the obligations of states and other actors in realizing the child’s right to health. Following an expert consultation, Professor Ferguson was asked to lead the process of drafting a research document to support the Committee’s work.
Short Course on Adolescent Health in Low and Middle Income Countries
Highlighting GHHR’s teaching and training activities, Professor Ferguson taught at this annual course at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Her session, entitled “Adolescents’ Rights, Vulnerability and Diversity”, underscored the value of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to adolescent health programming. Possibilities for additional collaborations are emerging from this work building on the synergies of participants’ implementation activities and GHHR’s research focus.
Realizing the Child’s Right to Health
Building on previous collaborations, GHHR is strengthening linkages with the WHO, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Save the Children International and World Vision International in the area of child and adolescent health and rights. Planned activities include regional training workshops on child rights in relation to health, the creation of tools to facilitate the realization of the child's right to health and preparations for the Human Rights Council's 2013 Day of General Discussion on child health.
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