Reproductive Health and Rights

The project was supported by ASTRA assisting in capacity building between the government and NGOs to provide evidence-based, targeted information on SRHR education and health services to adjust the response accordingly.

The goal of the project was:

1. Raise awareness on SRHR as human rights according to international documents.
2. Acquaint the target group to ten human rights that are keys to reproductive rights.
3. Implement the policy of ASTRA in Georgia, as it supports women's right to free and
   informed choice on and access to: abortion, full range of modern contraceptives,
   information, education and services on SRR. Special attention is given to youth and
   undeserved groups (Refugee, IDP...)
4. Raise awareness and understanding about contraception, teenage pregnancy and abortion, sensitizing society about the importance of strengthening youth SRHR.
5. To increase understanding and awareness of sexual and reproductive health issues in order to enable those working with young people to address this area in their work.
6. Review current situation on RH problem in Georgia, Policies and strategies. (published in English and Georgian)

More than 90 people from different fields have been trained. While working on the pilot project we revealed that neither NGO representatives nor doctors understand the necessity of knowledge of reproductive rights and how to use them. Besides, we revealed that young people have zero knowledge about reproductive health and they really need help.

(ASTRA)

The purpose of our project is to advocate for the implementation of the internationally accepted sexual and reproductive health and rights standards at the national level among youth population.

Project focuses on creation of powerful youth group to work on promotion of SRHR, to establish youth-friendly services.

To reach this aim we plan through seminar-training of the university students.
In the youth friendly service they can get information by phone or electronic contact. This project is the first step on involvement of youth on advocacy of SRHR.

We have trained 160 students from Tbilisi State Medical College N 2 and from Tbilisi Medical Institute “Panatsea”. We gave them basic information about Reproductive Rights and Sexual Health. During this training we have chosen 20 students who were continuing work on these issues; Was created youth friendly service in Women’s Center providing hot-line and e-mail consultations as well as setting up the volunteers network on promotion of SRHR in 4 Universities.

According to the training it can be said that nearly 90% of the students have no idea about Reproductive Health and Rights, Sexually Transmitted Infections including HIV/AIDS; contraception and abortion. The work we have done showed that it is necessary to give information in early ages.

We intend to increase understanding of linkages between health and reproductive rights.

Next step must be implementation of SRHR among health care providers and youth in the regional parts of Georgia.

Our task is to raise awareness through training of the health care practitioners, youth and policy makers involved in health care institutions as well as State health departments to understand the importance of these issues and multidisciplinary collaboration of health institutions with policymakers and NGOs.

We published the book “Reproductive Health and Rights”;

(National Women’s Program Open Society – Georgia Foundation)

The book was published in Georgian language with the support of Women’s East-West Program and National Women’s Program, Open Society – Georgia Foundation.

The goal of the book is to give basic knowledge about reproductive health and rights (RHR), to increase understanding of linkages between health and reproductive rights.

The book consists of five chapters. The first chapter "Reproductive Rights and Health Problems" consists of translated materials from the publication "Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Health in Central and Eastern Europe" prepared by ASTRA.

It attracts the readers’ attention on the situation concerning reproductive health and rights problem in the region, the policies and strategies. In addition, it contains the situation analyses of RHR in Georgia.

The second chapter "Reproductive Health" contains basic knowledge on reproductive health and rights, sexual health and rights, sexually transmitted diseases as well as the situation analyses with respect to Reproductive Health in Georgia (STD: syphilis, chlamiydia, candida, herpes, hepatit A, B, C, gonorrhea, thrichomoniasis, HIV/AIDS, contraception, abortion) and the review of national legislative basis with respect to these problems. The materials of this chapter have been prepared in Women's Center by Ia Verulashvili, Lali Baratashvili, Nino Kartvelishvili, Maka Gabexadze, Lela Tevzadze, Tamta Komaxidze.

The third chapter -"Health and Human Rights Norms and Standards" discusses how human rights are enshrined in international law, links between health and human rights, international human rights instruments, integration of human rights in health, how human rights support work to strengthen health system, and also United Nations Human Rights Organizational Structure. The chapter is based on the translated materials "25 Questions & Answer on Health & Human Rights "publication series issues N1, 2002 WHO.

The forth chapter "International Legislative Bases of Reproductive Rights" contains Ten Human Rights Keys to Reproductive Rights translated from "Reproductive Rights are Human Rights " prepared by Center of Reproductive Rights.

The Fifth chapter "Protection of Human Rights System according to European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights" shows how the international system of human rights protection established under the European Convention on Protection of Human Rights can be used for protection of reproductive rights. The chapter has been prepared on the basis of translated materials from ASTRA publication "How to use European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Matters of Reproductive Law”.

At the end of book the information on "Women's Center's" experience in the sphere of the issues in question is provided.

The book will be useful for health care providers, NGO representatives, policy makers and general public.