ACEWH & Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA)

January 13, 2012 dkilpatr Leave a Comment

: Signing of MOU renewal in Johannesburg, SA (left to right): Dr. Barbara Clow (Executive Director, ACEWH), Dr. Olive Shisana (CEO, HSRC), Ms. Bridgette Prince (Director International Liaison, HSRC), Dr. Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya (SAHARA Conference Chair)

Barbara Clow and Linda Snyder, the Executive and Assistant Directors of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health (ACEWH), were invited to present a pre-conference workshop at the Nov 28-Dec 1 SAHARA (Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance) Conference in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The event was organized by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). Together with CIDA-sponsored youth interns and South African colleagues, they led sessions on sex- and gender-based analysis and practice and HIV/AIDS research. While in South Africa, Dr. Clow also oversaw the final signing of the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding with HSRC.

The ACEWH and Dalhousie University have had a long standing partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa. In 2000, ACEWH and the Commonwealth Secretariat in London,UK, initiated the idea of developing an International Institute on Gender and HIV/AIDS in order to raise awareness and deepen understandings of the role of gender in the HIV pandemic. The initiative resulted in the 2004 partnering with the HSRC. Since then, MOUs have facilitated capacity building on issues relating to gender and HIV/AIDS through internships and faculty exchanges, collaboration on research grant proposals, conference proceedings and publications. CIDA interns have been placed with HSRC in various South African cities since 2005. The next call for interns will be announced in April 2012.

For more information about work undertaken by SAHARA and the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa, please visit www.sahara.org.za and www.hsrc.ac.za. Contact information for the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, www.acewh.dal.ca, email is acewh@dal.ca and 494-7850.

ACEWH introduces new Sex and Gender-Based Analysis E-Learning Resource

November 8, 2011 Trudi Smith Leave a Comment

The Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health (ACEWH) extends an invitation for the introduction of their new SGBA e-learning resource on November 23, from 2:30 to 5:30 at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia in Halifax. The online resource is open to the public at www.sgba-resource.ca For more information, visit the ACEWH website.

ACEWH hosts CIHR Cafe Scientifique

October 20, 2011 Trudi Smith Leave a Comment

Panelists Barbara Clow, Blye Frank, and Jim Oulton discuss sex, gender, health, and well-being at the Company House, Halifax, NS

The Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health (ACEWH) hosted an open event on the topic of “Sex or Gender? What difference does it make?” on September 19, 2011 at the Company House in Halifax. The event was funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research’s (CIHR’s) Cafe Scientifique initiative. In a relaxed and welcoming environment moderated by Jennifer Bernier of the ACEWH, three panelists came together to talk about sex, gender, health and well being. The panelists included:

Jim Oulton, a Clinical Therapist who worked with Capital Health Community Mental Health Services in Halifax for more than 17 years and now works in BC reviewing Vancouver Coastal Health’s Transgender Health Program;
Blye Frank, Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia and former Professor and Head of the Division of Medical Education at Dalhousie University;
Barbara Clow, Executive Director of the ACEWH and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Professions.

The dialogue focused on the importance of framing sex as a continuum rather than within a restricted binary of male or female. Through examples from their work, Dr. Clow illustrated the effectiveness of sex- and gender-based analysis in strengthening health research and practice. Dr. Frank talked about the need to break down historic research biases that presume ‘male as the norm’ both with regard to gender dimensions as well by asking ‘which male is the norm?’ and how we can gather data from socially and economically diverse populations. In addition, Mr. Oulton identified the importance of inclusive health provision for patients who self-identify as neither or both male and female. The energetic and engaged audience was comprised of 55 students, researchers, and community members. To learn more about the ACEWH, visit www.acewh.dal.ca and be sure to check out our new Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA) e-Learning Resource: Rising to the Challenge at www.sgba-resource.ca.

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