Dissemination and Advocacy Program

The Department organizes and participates in activities that promote sexual and reproductive health and rights among diverse professional communities, decision makers, legislators, and the public opinion in general at the national and regional level. The activities disseminate research findings as a contribution to the social and specialized public debate about the health situation and health policies. Likewise, the Department develops spaces for academic exchange as well as theoretical and methodological discussion as a way to encourage the quality of scientific production in the program’s fields of interest.

The Department participates in academic networks dedicated to the dissemination of scientific knowledge in the area of social sciences and health such as Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres, the Latin American Association of Researchers in Human Reproduction (ALIRH), the Latin American Network of Researchers on Social Aspects of Human Reproduction (CENEP/WHO) and the International Forum of Social Science and Health. It also participates in rights promotion networks such as the National Network for Women’s Health (Argentina), the Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health Network, the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights, and the Civil Society Forum of the Americas.

The Department also establishes research and training cooperation agreements with other national and local institutions:National Academy of Medicine of Argentina; Ombudsperson’s Office of the City of Buenos Aires; FLACSO-Argentina; Programa de Estudos de Gênero, Geração e Etnia (PEGGE), Rio de Janeiro State University, and Health Secretariat of the City of Buenos Aires.

Program members are founding members of organizations that promote an informed public debate on diverse aspects of health such as The Argentine Association of Psychosomatic Gynecology and Obstetrics (AAGOP), Reproductive Rights Forum; Association of Economy of Health (AES), Mujeres Autoconvocadas para Decidir en Libertad (MADEL) and the Argentine Bioethics Observatory.

Between 1995 and 2001, the Department was part of the Latin American Consortium of Reproductive Health and Sexuality Programs, together with the Reproductive Health and Society Program at El Colegio de México (Mexico) and the Reproductive Health and Sexuality Program at the Núcleo de Estudios de Población (NEPO) of the University of Campinas (Brazil). The goal of the Consortium was to exchange research and training experiences in this field, as well as to conduct regional seminars and comparative research.

The program has promoted the following activities:

> 21tst Meeting of the Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC), Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HPR), UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank. Buenos Aires, 23-25 June, 2008. PCC Vice-president: Silvina Ramos. Event organizer: Lila Aizenberg.

> Advocacy activities to expand access to legal abortion in Argentina: creation and constant update of the website (www.despenalizacion.org.ar), writing reports on maternal morbimortality and access to safe abortion, coordination of workshops to train social communicators, meeting with legislators, among others activities. The aim of these activities was to position abortion as an important public health and a social justice issue within the public agenda in Argentina as well as to broaden the exceptions for legal abortion. These activities were carried out together with FEIM under the project ¨Contributions to the decriminalization of abortion in Argentina¨ (2007-2008).

> V Workshop on Social Research in Reproductive Health and Sexuality, CEDES/CENEP/AEPA, Buenos Aires, April 17-19, 2006.

> “Reproductive Health and Women’s Rights: Training workshops with Women from Low Income Urban Sectors”, organized and coordinated by Dalia Szulik and Nina Zamberlin. Funded by PROFAM, National Women’s Council/World Bank (March 2004-October 2005).

> National Seminar “Pregnancy and Motherhood in Adolescence. Lessons, Challenges and Intersectoral Consensus”, CEDES–National Ministry of Health and Environment-UNICEF-AEPA, Buenos Aires, November 16, 2004.

> Update course and training workshop on Responsible Procreation and Counselling, for the staff of the Obstetrics Service at the “Dr. Teodoro Álvarez Hospital”; Buenos Aires, March 17 and 23 and April 3, 2005. Facilitators: Cecilia Gianni, Mariana Romero and Nina Zamberlin.

> National Dialogue on the Promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health within the Health Sector Reform (Argentina), organized by CEDES, Buenos Aires (August 28-29h, 2003).

> Training carried out by the Ombudsperson’s Office of the City of Buenos Aires about the Reproductive Health Law of the City of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, November 4-6, 2003.

> Workshops developed with provincial teams involved in the study “Maternal Mortality in Argentina: Diagnosis for Reorienting Health Policies and Programs”, organized by CEDES, Buenos Aires (October, 2002-Octobre, 2003).

> 4th Workshop on Social Research in Reproductive Health and Sexuality: Men’s Role in Sexual and Reproductive Health in Latin American and Caribbean Countries, carried out in collaboration with PRASSAR (CENEP/WHO) and AEPA, Buenos Aires (2002).

> Seminar “New Challenges for Political Responsibility”, carried out by the Civil Society Forum of the Americas (2001).

> Seminar “Innovative Experiences in Reproductive Health. The Complement Between Medical and Social Sciences: Challenges and Lessons Learnt”, Latin American Consortium of Reproductive Health and Sexuality Programs (2000).

> Seminar “Youth: Reproductive Health, Violence and Adictions. Protections and Vulnerabilities” (1999).

> 3rd Workshop on Social Research in Reproductive Health and Sexuality, organized by CEDES, CENEP/WHO and AEPA, Buenos Aires (1998).

> Conference “Training of Popular Legal Advocates in Reproductive and Sexual Rights Offered” by Denise Dourado (Themis, Brazil) (1996).

> 2nd Workshop on Social Research in Reproductive Health and Sexuality, organized by CEDES, CENEP/WHO and AEPA, Buenos Aires (1996).

> Workshop on Social Research in Reproductive Health and Sexuality, carried out in collaboration with CENEP, Buenos Aires (1993).

> Workshop: “NGO, Health and Social Promotion” in the Municipality of San Fernando (1992).

> Workshop “Prevention in Gynecological Oncology. Social, Medical and Psychological Perspectives” (1991).

> Workshop “Reproductive Health Research and its Implications for Public Policies” (1990).