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Let me decide and thrive - Global discrimination and exclusion of girls and young women with disabilities

PLAN INTERNATIONAL
December 2017

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Girls and young women with disabilities have the right to make decisions over their own bodies and live free from violence and fear. Yet, on a global level, they are the people least likely to enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Compelled by this reality, Plan International and the Office of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have joined forces to ensure young women and girls with disabilities can exercise choice and have control over their bodies. The Let Me Decide and Thrive initiative is supported by in-depth, critical field and desk research and aims to empower girls and young women with disabilities, raise awareness of their plight among stakeholders, and work to secure their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

This research found that the barriers to SRHR confronted by girls and young women with disabilities are overwhelming: infantilisation and disempowerment; forced sterilisation, abortion, and contraception; disproportionate suffering from all forms of violence; substantial barriers in accessing justice; discriminatory attitudes, norms, and behaviours rendering them invisible; and a lack of accessible and appropriate SRHR information and services.

Keeping children safe toolkit : a toolkit for child protection

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE COALITION
2011

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This toolkit is a complete package for people working in safeguarding children across the world. It aims to support agencies at international, national and local levels to put these standards into practice. This revised toolkit for child protection includes material on children's participation in child protection. The toolkit has five components: Tool 1: Standards for child protection Tool 2: How to implement the standards Tool 3: Training for child protection Tool 4: Children's participation in child protection Tool 5: Film
Note: The original version of this document is also available to download in Arabic and Albanian

Community-based rehabilitation : CBR Guidelines|Education component

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
et al
2010

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This component of the CBR Guidelines focuses on education and how to make it inclusive. It describes "the role of CBR is to work with the education sector to help make education inclusive at all levels, and to facilitate access to education and lifelong learning for people with disabilities." It outlines key concepts and then presents the core concepts, examples and areas of suggested activities in each of the following five elements: Early childhood care and education; Primary education; Secondary and higher education; Non-formal education; and Lifelong learning. This guideline is useful for anyone interested in the education component of CBR

A book for midwives : care for pregnancy, birth and women's health|Un libro para parteras : atencion del embarazo, el parto y la salud de la mujer

KLEIN, Susan
MILLER, Suellen
THOMPSON, Fiona
2009

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Originally published in 1995, A Book for Midwives has been a comprehensive resource for practicing midwives and midwifery training programmes around the world. This new edition has been extensively updated and revised to reflect new WHO/UNICEF guidelines and standards for mothers and newborn children.This book covers the essentials of care before, during, and after birth, providing a variety of designs for low-cost equipment and training materials. It includes new information on helping women stay healthy during pregnancy; helping mothers have safer labors and births; preventing, managing, and treating obstetric emergencies; breastfeeding; the health needs of new babies; and involving the community in improving the health of mothers and pregnant women. It also includes new information about treatment and medications for HIV and other sexually transmitted infectons; vaccinations, medicines, and drug interactions; infection prevention; improved methods for dealing with complicated deliveries; and new and updated information on family planning

The state of the world's children 2009

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
December 2008

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The 2009 report ..."examines critical issues in maternal and newborn health, underscoring the need to establish a comprehensive continuum of care for mothers, newborns and children. "The report outlines the latest paradigms in health programming and policies for mothers and newborns, and explores policies, programmes and partnerships aimed at improving maternal and neonatal health. Africa and Asia are a key focus for this report, which complements the previous year's issue on child survival." The report can be downloaded as a PDF or a multi-media version is also available in four languages

Progress for children : a report card on maternal mortality, number 7

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
September 2008

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This report describes global and regional progress in reducing maternal mortality and provides the latest statistics on Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 indicators for 192 countries and territories. Globally, the maternal mortality ratio declined from 430 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 400 in 2005, with significant regional disparities. The report examines differences in progress between regions and within regions and describes lifetime risk by region and country. Reductions in maternal mortality have come far too slowly, particularly in those regions where the problem is most acute (such as sub-Saharan Africa). Current progress is not sufficient to achieve the MDG target of reducing the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. This lack of progress has an enormous impact on children

Index for inclusion : developing play, learning and participation in early years and childcare

BOOTH, Tony
AINSCOW, Mel
KINGSTON, Denise
2006

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"The Index is a detailed set of materials to help settings increase the participation of young children in play and learning. The Index involves a self-review of all aspects of a setting, drawing on additional help as needed. It encourages the involvement in inclusive development of all practitioners, volunteers, management committee/governors, children, young people and their parents/carers. Actions to assist inclusion are prioritised and a development plan is drawn up, implemented and reviewed using the Index materials. These changes are sustained in the setting as the process progresses annually"
A CD Rom and an Index for Inclusion insert for early years and childcare are available when the resource is purchased from the publisher

Make every mother and child count : World Health Day 7 April 2005. A toolkit for organizers of activities

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
2005

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This toolkit has been designed for organisations promoting activities and events for the World Health Day 2005, and particularly concerned with the survival and well-being of mothers and children. It spells out four key messages: too many mothers and children are suffering and dying each year; healthy mothers and children are the real wealth of societies; millions of lives could be saved using the knowledge available today; in order to make a difference stakeholders must join forces and act together

The evolving capacities of the child

LANSDOWN, Gerison
2005

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The Convention on the Rights of the Child introduces for the first time in an international human rights treaty, the concept of the 'evolving capacities' of the child. This principle has been described as a new principle of interpretation in international law, recognising that, as children acquire enhanced competencies, there is a diminishing need for protection and a greater capacity to take responsibility for decisions affecting their lives. The Convention allows for the recognition that children in different environments and cultures, and faced with diverse life experiences, will acquire competencies at different ages. Action is needed in law, policy and practice so that the contributions children make and the capacities they hold are acknowledged. The purpose of the study is to open the discussion and promote debate to achieve a better understanding of how children can be protected, in accordance with their evolving capacities, and also provided with opportunities to participate in the fulfillment of their rights. Although the paper discusses children of all ages, section 2 (p.12) focuses on early childhood development and the cultural environment

Implementing child rights in early childhood

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (UNHCHR). Committee on the rights of the child
2005

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The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child publishes its interpretations of the content of human rights provisions, in the form of 'General Comments' on thematic issues. This 'General Comment' paper is about implementing child rights in early childhood. The definition of early childhood here is children from birth, through infancy and the pre-school years. Previous information available on the subject of human rights and early childhood development has been centred around child mortality, birth registration and health care. This paper aims to encourage recognition that ealy childhood is a critical period for the realisation of rights. Research has highlighted the particular risks to young children from malnutrition, disease, poverty, neglect, social exclusion and a range of other adversities. Proper prevention and intervention strategies during early childhood have the potential to impact positively on young children's current well being and future development

Impact of AIDS on early childhood care and education

HEYMANN, Joey
June 2003

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This policy briefing sets out the background of the HIV pandemic and notes thats its impact has transformed childhood. Findings from a study in Botswana assessing the impact show results in areas of childcare, caring for sick children and parental time with children. Policy recommendations are made concerning the implications for the quality, quantity and nature of early childhood care and education services needed, and also for the supports that are necessary to enable parents and extended family members to care for children who are affected and infected by HIV

Kangaroo mother care : a practical guide

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2003

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Written for for health professionals in charge of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm newborn infants in first referral hospitals, this document describes the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) method for care of stable preterm or LWT babies (those who can breath air and have no major health problems) who need thermal protection, adequate feeding, frequent observation, and protection from infection. It provides guidance on how to organise services at the referral hospital and on what is needed to introduce and carry out KMC, focusing on settings where resources are limited. Evidence for the recommendations is provided whenever possible

Facts for life

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
2002

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A comprehensive guide aiming to provide parents and other caregivers with the information they need to save and improve children's lives. Presents information in non-technical language so it can be understood and acted upon easily by people who do not have a scientific background. Though mostly about the diseases, infections and other factors that can slow or hinder children's growth and development, it also includes a section on 'child development and early learning' which describes what children need to develop socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually

Facts for life

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
2002

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This book aims to put lifesaving knowledge about children‘s health into the hands of those who need it most: parents, caregivers, health workers, government officials, journalists and teachers. This edition has updated information on safe motherhood, early childhood development, nutrition, HIV/AIDS and other major causes of childhood illnesses and death. In simple language, it emphasises practical, effective, low-cost ways of protecting children‘s lives and promoting their development

Reproductive rights and women with disabilities : a human rights framework

CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
January 2002

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This paper advocates that international human rights law be used to promote and protect the reproductive rights and needs of women with disabilities. In addition, this work examines the correlation between the following key areas: the right to equality, non-discrimination, reproductive health, physical integrity, and the right to marry. This work also features country based examples, addressing abuses that occur in China and Australia. This work would be useful for anyone with an interest in human/women's rights, reproductive rights and disability

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