Prison health situation and health rights of young people incarcerated in sub-Saharan African prisons and detention centres: a scoping review of extant literature.

BACKGROUND: Treatment and special protection of the rights of incarcerated young people in prisons are mandated under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), as well as under United Nations (UN) human rights instruments. METHODS: A scoping review mapped what is currently known about prison conditions and health situation of detained and incarcerated young people in sub- Saharan African (SSA) prisons. A systematic search collected and reviewed all available and relevant published and grey literature. Following application of exclusion measures, 54 records remained, which represented 37 of the 49 SSA countries. These records were charted and thematically analysed. RESULTS: The ages of children and adolescents held in SSA prisons ranged from 12 to 18 years. Three main themes were generated during the charting exercise; the prison environment for young people; availability and accessibility of basic necessities and navigating the prison system for health care and outside continuum of care. CONCLUSIONS: The review highlights the grave and continuing deplorable situation of young people held in SSA prisons. The violation of international human rights norms is observed in the systemic abuse and detention of young people with adults. Basic needs are not met in relation to sanitation, ventilation, safe spaces, protection from physical and sexual violence, clothing, food and access to HIV and medical care.

'Mankind owes to the child the best that it has to give': prison conditions and the health situation and rights of children incarcerated with their mothers in sub-Saharan African prisons.

BACKGROUND: In recent times, sub-Saharan African (SSA) prisons have seen a substantial increase in women prisoners, including those incarcerated with children. METHODS: A scoping review mapped what is currently known about the health situation and unique rights violations of children incarcerated with their mothers in SSA prisons. A systematic search collected and reviewed all available and relevant published and grey literature (2000-2018). Following application of exclusion measures, 64 records remained, which represented 27 of the 49 SSA countries. These records were charted and thematically analysed. RESULTS: Four main themes were generated as follows: 1) the prison physical environment; 2) food availability, adequacy and quality; 3) provision of basic necessities and 4) availability and accessibility of health services for incarcerated children. CONCLUSIONS: The review highlights the grave situation of children incarcerated with their mothers in SSA prisons, underpinned by the lack of basic necessities, inadequate hygiene, sanitation and safe drinking water, exposure to diseases in overcrowded cells, inadequate nutrition, lack of provision of clothing and bedding, and difficulties accessing paediatric care. Reported paediatric morbidity and mortality associated with such prison conditions is deeply concerning and contrary to international mandates for the rights of the child, right to health and standards of care.

Children in the 2015 South Indian floods: community members' views.

Little is known about children's experiences and involvement in disaster preparation and recovery, in particular in low- and middle-income countries. Eliciting community members' perspectives on the 2015 floods in Tamil Nadu, India, may generate useful insights for improving services in low-resource settings. This qualitative study aimed to understand how children in Chennai experienced the floods, as reported by the adults in their community, and to explore children's involvement in disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts as reported from the adults' perspective. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews (N = 48) with family members (n = 36), and with staff of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) (n = 12) who actively participated in relief and recovery efforts. We also conducted two focus group discussions (n = 14) with NGO staff about a year after the 2015 South Indian floods in Chennai, India. Six broad themes regarding children's experiences and behaviours during and after the floods emerged: (1) unexpectedness of the floods; (2) children's safety - barriers and facilitators; (3) parents' reactions - helplessness, fear and pride; (4) children's reactions - helping hands, fun and fear; (5) barriers to a return to 'normal'; and (6) a determination to be prepared for next time. Children and families were deeply impacted by the floods, in part owing to a lack of preparation, as perceived by the study participants. It was also clear from the data analysis that caste and socioeconomic status played an important role in the families' ability to evacuate safely. Helplessness on the part of the parents was apparent, as was children's concern over recurrence of the flood. Similarly, gender appeared to affect child safety, recovery and other outcomes such as continued education. Priorities for future efforts involve the development and evaluation of child-centred education about flood awareness, child participation and safety.

Antecedentes: Se conoce poco acerca de las experiencias de los niños y su participación en la preparación y recuperación de desastres, en particular en países de bajos y medios ingresos. La obtención de las perspectivas de los miembros de la comunidad sobre las inundaciones de 2015 en Tamil Nadu, India, puede generar reflexiones útiles para mejorar los servicios en entornos de bajos recursos. Objetivo: Este estudio cualitativo apuntó a comprender a) Cómo experimentaron las inundaciones los niños en Chennai, según el reporte de los adultos en su comunidad, y b) explorar la participación de los niños en la preparación para el desastre, la respuesta y las labores de reconstrucción, según el reporte desde la perspectiva de los adultos. Método: Realizamos entrevistas semi estructuradas en profundidad (N=48) con miembros de la familia (n=36), y con miembros de organizaciones no gubernamentales (n=12) que participaron activamente en las labores de ayuda y reconstrucción. También realizamos dos grupos de discusión (n=14) con miembros de ONG, aproximadamente un año después de las inundaciones del sur de la India en 2015 en Chennai, India. Resultados: Surgieron seis amplios temas respecto a las experiencias de los niños y las conductas durante y después de las inundaciones: a) Lo inesperado de las inundaciones; b) Las barreras y facilitadores para la seguridad de los niños; c) La reacciones de los padres - impotencia, miedo y orgullo; d) Las reacciones de los niños ­ ayuda, diversión y miedo; e) Las barreras para el retorno a lo 'normal', y f) Una determinación para estar preparados para una próxima vez. Conclusión: Los niños y las familias estuvieron profundamente impactados por las inundaciones, en parte debido a una falta de preparación, según la percepción de los participantes del estudio. También fue claro desde el análisis de los datos que el status socioeconómico y de castas jugó un rol importante en la capacidad de las familias para evacuar en forma segura. La impotencia de parte de los padres fue evidente, así como también la preocupación de los niños por la recurrencia de la inundación. Así también, el género pareció afectar la seguridad, recuperación y otros resultados de los niños, como la continuidad en la educación, etc. Las prioridades para los esfuerzos futuros incluyen el desarrollo y evaluación de la educación centrada en los niños acerca de la concientización de las inundaciones, participación de los niños, y seguridad.

Transformações sobre as condições de vida de beneficiários do programa bolsa família acompanhados em unidade básica de saúde da família de Campina Grande, Paraíba / Transformations on living conditions of beneficiaries of family grant program accompanied in basic health unit family in Campina Grande,State of Paraiba / Transformaciones en las condiciones de vida de los beneficiarios del programa bolsa familia acompañados en una unidad básica de salud de la familia en Campina Grande, estado de Paraiba

O Programa Bolsa Família (PBF) foi criado e instituído no Brasil com o propósito de suprir as necessidades básicas de uma população-alvo com requisitos predefinidos, por meio do pagamento de benefício articulado com o desenvolvimento de capacidades para maior autonomia social. O objetivo deste estudo é investigar significados do PBF para seus beneficiários. Trata-se de estudo descritivo e qualitativo, que utilizou como instrumento de coleta de dados a entrevista. Os resultados formaram três categorias: acesso à alimentação; incentivo para educação infantil; suporte para necessidades básicas. Na população estudada o PBF é importante para a alimentação das famílias, melhoria das suas condições de vida e visto como essencial para o momento presente, porém não há associação do benefício com mudança de vida futura. O benefício e suas condicionalidades também não são associados à garantia de direito e cidadania. Conclui-se que o funcionamento adequado do PBF é relevante para que o programa não se restrinja a uma mera conversão monetária compensatória ou simplesmente uma distribuição de renda e, portanto, incapaz de reverter o quadro de pobreza vigente nas famílias beneficiárias do bairro do Pedregal.

AbstractThe Family Grant Program (FGP) was created and introduced in Brazil in order to meet the basic needs of the target population with predefined requirements, through the payment of benefits linked to the development of capacities for greater social autonomy. The objective of this study is to investigate the meaning of the FGP to its beneficiaries. It is a descriptive and qualitative study which used interviews as an instrument of data collection. The results formed three categories: access to food, to encourage early childhood education and support for basic needs. In the population studied was found that the benefit of the FGP is important to feed families, improving their living conditions and seen as essential to the present moment, but with no association of change of benefit of future life. The benefits and their conditionalities are not associated with a guarantee of rights and citizenship. We concluded that the adequate functioning of the FGP is relevant so that the program does not restrict itself to a mere compensatory monetary conversion or simply an income distribution, thus incapable of reverting the poverty framework present in the beneficiary families of pedregal.

El programa Bolsa Familia (PBF) fue creado e instituido en Brasil con el propósito de satisfacer a las necesidades básicas de una población foco, con requisitos predefinidos, a través del pago de un beneficio articulado con el desarrollo de capacidades para una mayor autonomía social. El objetivo de este estudio es investigar los significados del PBF para sus beneficiarios. Es un estudio descriptivo y cualitativo que utilizó, para la recolecta de datos, la entrevista. Los resultados se dividieron en tres categorías: acceso a los alimentos, incentivos para la educación de la primera infancia, y apoyo a las necesidades básicas. En la población estudiada, el PBF es importante para la alimentación de las familias, mejorando sus condiciones de vida y visto como esencial para el momento presente, pero no hay asociación de los beneficios con el cambio de vida futura. El beneficio y sus condiciones no están, también, asociados con la garantía de derechos y ciudadanía. Se concluye que el buen funcionamiento del BFP es relevante para que el programa no se limite a una mera conversión compensatoria de moneda o, simplemente, a una distribución del ingreso y, por lo tanto, incapaz de revertir la pobreza que prevalece en las familias beneficiarias en el barrio de Pedregal.