Abstract
Drawing on interviews with purposefully selected informants (n = 44) and on focus group discussions (n = 5), this article critically examines and reflects upon the gendered assignments of responsibilities in the reproductive realm, in the context of South Sudan. Through this examination, it provides insight into the social practices of assigning and apportioning responsibilities in the reproductive realm; it exposes the nature of social relations, social positions, and vulnerabilities they signal, and the normative expectations they communicate, reiterate, and reproduce. In doing so, the social inequalities and entrenched gendered privileges in the society are made visible. The article argues that the ongoing social disruption in South Sudan offers a unique opportunity for intervening to renegotiate and reestablish a more equitable social compact. A case is made for public health policies to prioritize social interventions which challenge patriarchal privilege without simplistically problematizing men’s roles and actions in the reproductive realm.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-9 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Sage Open |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 13 Aug 2018 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sept 2018 |
Funding
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Funding contributions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of the Netherlands, and operational contributions of the South Sudan Health Action and Research Project (SHARP) partners are duly acknowledged.
Funders | Funder number |
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Ministry for Foreign Affairs |
Keywords
- gender
- patriarchal privilege
- reproductive health
- responsibility
- social norms
- South Sudan