Decolonising Sexual and Reproductive Health and Human Rights: Developing Theory For an African-Centered Approach
Please join us for the first event of the term and the academic year where Charles Ngwena, Professor of Law, University of Pretoria, will be presenting his latest work on decolonising sexual and reproductive health and human rights. A short abstract of the paper titled: 'Decolonising Sexual and Reproductive Health and Human Rights: Developing Theory For an African-Centered Approach' is reproduced below.
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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to reflect on how the discourse of decolonisation can be framed and applied to develop a juridical theory for respecting, protecting, promoting and fulfilling the sexual and reproductive health and human rights of Africans in ways that speak to inclusive equality. By inclusive equality, I mean a holistic and multi-dimensional approach to equality to address the universal human quest for meaningful equality which goes beyond mere formal pronouncements on equality we find inscribed in virtually all domestic constitutions and international human rights instruments. Inclusive equality enjoins society to develop and implement normative standards and institutional frameworks for ensuring substantive lived or de facto equality. It embraces a vision of equality in which cycles of systemic equality and social exclusion are broken through a transformative process that requires institutional and social changes. We can think of the normative content of inclusive equality as made up of four intersecting dimensions, namely: (a) a recognition dimension to combat stigma, stereotyping, prejudice and violence to recognise the dignity of human beings and their intersectionality; (c) a participatory dimension to reaffirm the social nature of people as members of social groups and the full recognition of humanity through inclusion in society; (c) an accommodation dimension to make space for difference as a corollary human diversity; and (d) a fair redistributive dimension to address socioeconomic disadvantages.