This recent letter from PHPN (an Iraq-based public health network) [Public Health Protection Network of Kurdistan] might be relevant. [*see note below]
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We are concerned about the abuse of the sexual and reproductive health rights of people with disability in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
We have evidence to suggest that people with Autism, Down's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Learning Difficulties and others are undergoing surgical sterilisation without proper consenting.
Only last year, 240 operations to remove the uterus of women and girls were done in Erbil's Maternity and Labour Hospital. In Selmany the number was 140.
We do not have credible data about the proportion of people with disability undergoing those operations. However, there are media reports that suggest that the incidence of surgical sterilisation amongst women and girls with disabilities is high.
The excuse for such practices is unwanted pregnancies that might result from sexual abuse against women and girls with disabilities.
We call on you to join us in asking the authorities in KRI to investigate those practices and ensure that the sexual and reproductive rights of people with disabilities are protected.
HIFA profile: Goran Zangana is a medical doctor and Associate Research Fellow with the Middle East Research Institute, Iraq. He is a HIFA country representative for Iraq and is currently based in the UK. He is the current holder of Country Representative of the Year 2021.
https://www.hifa.org/support/members/goran
goran.zangana AT meri-k.org
[*Note from NPW, moderator: Thank you Goran. The above message was sent in response to a HIFA message on the UK FCDO https://www.hifa.org/dgroups-rss/uk-foreign-commonwealth-development-off...
I have included it to our current discussion on SUPPORT-SYSTEMS as it is an excellent example of how CSOs use evidence to influence health policy. We look forward to learn more, from you and others. For example, what are the barriers and drivers to collecting and synthesising evidence to inform policy? How is such evidence used and communicated to policymakers?]
