cfhinitiative

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH

 

Climate change, together with other natural and human-made health stressors, influences human health in numerous ways, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the World Health Organization, between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress.

Health is already being impacted by climate change in a variety of ways, including the increased frequency of extreme weather events like heat-waves, storms, and floods, the disruption of food systems, an increase in zoonosis, food-water diseases vector-borne diseases, and mental health problems.
Furthermore, many of the social factors that contribute to good health, such as employment opportunities, equality, access to medical treatment, and social support networks, are being undermined by climate change.
Women, children, ethnic minorities, poor communities, migrants or displaced people, elderly populations, and individuals with underlying health issues are among the most at risk and disadvantaged groups who experience a disproportionate amount of these climate-sensitive health concerns.

According to Common Wealth Fund in the article “The Impact of Climate Change on Our Health and Health Systems”, accessed on 26 September,2022, Since 2008, weather-related incidents have caused an average of more than 20 million people to relocate worldwide. Compared to the consequences on physical health, the effects of such stress and loss on mental health are more difficult to measure. However, they are still very severe.

The greatest threat to human health is climate change but reducing emissions of greenhouse gases through better transport, food and energy-use choices can result in improved health.

 

#MondayHealthBurst #ClimateChange #CDC #Palladium #VillageReach #PreservationofOzoneLayer

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH Read More »

SPEAK WEDNESDAY – BARRIERS TO EQUALITY IN THE SOCIETY

BARRIERS TO EQUALITY IN THE SOCIETY

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

However, in both private and public spheres, women face occupational segregation and multiple barriers – such as lack of access to land, capital, financial resources and technology, as well as gender-based violence – due to cultural mindset and stereotypes. ~ U.N WOMEN

Other barriers that encourage inequality in the society includes unconscious bias, lack of legal frameworks against discrimination of women, non- commitment of our leaders towards the attainment of equality in the society, etc. These barriers exist in education, working settings, leadership, homes and almost in every aspect of the existence of women.

This unfortunate yet realistic state of affairs led to the report by the United Nations Women which stated that it may take close to 300 years to achieve full gender equality.

Inequality in access to education, income, job, healthcare, leadership, social support services, etc can limit girls and women from reaching their full potentials which may lead unemployment, extreme poverty, and other negative outcomes.

According to United Nations, Gender Equality (SDG5), is not only a fundamental right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #GenderEquality #Genderbias #SDG5

 

 

SPEAK WEDNESDAY – BARRIERS TO EQUALITY IN THE SOCIETY Read More »

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON HEALTH BENEFITS OF OZONE LAYER PROTECTION

The ozone layer is a region of the upper atmosphere located between 15 and 35km above earth’s surface. Its function is to absorb high-energy Ultraviolet (UV) Ray’s from the sun preventing them from reaching the earth’s surface.

Over exposure to UV radiation is considered to be a health risk, causing skin and eye damage, as well as having adverse effects on the immune system. Amongst the effects resulting from exposure to Ultraviolet radiation, Melanoma, a lethal human health effect causes over 7100 deaths annually in the United States as reported by Hidaya Aliouche in an article published on News Medical and Health Sciences, accessed 19 September, 2022, <https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Are-the-Health-Benefits-of-Protecting-the-Ozone-Layer.aspx/>

An international agreement to protect the ozone layer is expected to prevent 443 million cases of skin cancer and 63 million cataract cases for people born in the United States through the end of this century, according to new research by scientists at the National Cancer for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), ICF consulting, and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Furthermore, the European Environmental Agency stated that one of the action required globally to continue the recovery of the ozone layer is to ensure that banks of ozone-depleting substances (both in storage and contained in existing equipment) are dealt with in an environmentally-friendly manner and are replaced with climate-friendly alternatives. European Commission, Protecting the ozone layer, accessed September 19, 2022, <https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/protecting-ozone-layer_en/>

World Ozone Day was established to be marked on September 16 every year to raise awareness of the ozone layer’s depletion.

 

#HealthBenefits #OzoneLayerProtection #WorldOzoneDay #MondayHealthBurst

 

                                                                                 

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON HEALTH BENEFITS OF OZONE LAYER PROTECTION Read More »

SPEAK WEDNESDAY – INEQUALITY IN THE NIGERIAN DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

A true democratic society fosters respect for all citizens, equality, inclusiveness, freedom of speech, the right to make individual choices, and to live free of fear or discrimination, but in Nigeria, there had been a sustained poor representation and the gender imbalance of women in critical areas.

The Nigerian constitution, which is regarded as the grundnorm because of its overriding effect on all other laws provides for the right to freedom from discrimination ~ Section 42 CFRN, yet there are in existence few discriminatory Nigerian laws implemented against women in our alleged democratic society.

By way of illustration, a woman police officer (not applicable to men) cannot marry without seeking permission from the Commissioner of Police, and a woman who becomes pregnant shall be discharged from the force. ~ Section 124 Police Act. What’s more, Section 55 of the Penal Code allows husbands in some parts of Nigeria to “correct” their wives as long as it does not lead to grievous bodily harm.

It is also of great concern to note that citizenship is conferred on a foreign woman married to a citizen of Nigeria (man) but the same provision is not made for a foreign man married to a Nigerian woman. Section 26 CFRN.

Equally, the discrimination is well extended in leadership. premium times reported that in the House of Representatives, out of 360 members, only 18 are women (4.61%) while in the Senate, there are 8 women out of 109 members (7.34%). Premium Times 2022, Low Number of Women In Politics, Bane of Nigeria’s Development- Minister, accessed 14 September 20222, <https:/www.premiumtimesng,com/news/more-news/528219-low-number-of-women-in-politics-bane-of-nigerias-development-minister.html/> 

A number of women have spoken up on this issue. According to Njideka Harry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF), if Nigerian women had the same opportunities as men, they could drive up the GDP by $13.9 billion, while Tian Wei, CCTV News, is quoted to have said, “Any society that fails to harness the energy and creativity of its women is at a huge disadvantage in the modern world.”

The reasons that could be cited for the inequality in the Nigerian democratic society can be traced to the sexual stereotype of social roles, discriminatory traditions, and cultural prejudices.

It is pertinent to note that “if they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” according to Shirley Chrisholm, the First African-American woman elected to the US Congress.

 

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #DemocraticRights #Women’sRights #GenderStereotype #GenderBias #GenderInequality #cuturalnorms #democracy #BBN

 

 

SPEAK WEDNESDAY – INEQUALITY IN THE NIGERIAN DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Read More »

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON GREENHOUSE EFFECT ON HUMAN HEALTH

Greenhouse effect is the process by which radiations from the sun are absorbed by the greenhouse gases and not reflected back into space. This insulates the surface of the earth and prevents it from freezing.

The greenhouse gases at normal level help the earth to maintain an ambient condition for our survival. However, the anthropogenic action by humans (burning of fossil fuels) has induced the amount of these greenhouse gases thereby resulting in greenhouse effect.

According to Naiyer et al., (2022), the greenhouse effect along with global warming have impacts that are adverse to humans. Short-term exposure impacts can be coped with by humans, but when it is a high long-term concentration exposure, the impact becomes detrimental.

The long-term exposure slowly affects multiple organs such as the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, central nervous system, immune system, digestive system and often the reproductive system.

Increasing the greenhouse effect gives rise to a runaway greenhouse effect which would increase the temperature of the earth to such an extent that no life will exist in the near future https://byjus.com/biology/greenhouse-effect-gases/.

Hence, the need to watch the rate at which fossil fuels are burnt and regular medical checkups for early detection of diseases resulting from exposure to Greenhouse Effects.

Monday Health Burst is an initiative of CFHI to address issues of basic health concern. Join us every Monday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.

#GreenhouseEffect #HumanHealth #Who  #MondayHealthBurst

 

                                                                         

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON GREENHOUSE EFFECT ON HUMAN HEALTH Read More »

SPEAK WEDNESDAY ON IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN LITERACY

True, literacy rates have generally appreciated worldwide for both males and females. Still, males are on average more literate than females. In 2020, a little over 83 percent of women in the world were literate, however, about 90 percent of men were literate.

As opposed to the misconception associated with women literacy, Literate women in fact implies that they have the ability to process information that they receive and use it in the improvement of various aspects of their society such as nutrition, health and the education of other members of their households and their society by extension.

Statistics show that Literate women are more likely to send their children, especially their girls, to school. Women who acquire literacy become more resilient economically and are more likely to be involved in the social, political and cultural life of their society and country at large.
The United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking says that Women are most vulnerable to trafficking when they are undereducated and poor. Providing education to women to help them improve life skills is bound to significantly undermine this terrible industry.
When women are provided with equal rights and equal access to education, they go on to engage in economic as well as business activities. This increases the earning power and improves our chances of winning this war against poverty.
Women literacy improves Gross domestic product. Statistics show that when 10 percent more women attend school, GDP increases by three percent on average.
Educating a woman is more than educating an individual, it is educating the world.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #Women’sLiteracy #Women’sRights #GenderStereotype #GenderBias #GenderInequality

SPEAK WEDNESDAY ON IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN LITERACY Read More »

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON ENDOMETRIAL CANCER

Endometrial cancer is a type of uterine cancer that affects the inner lining of the uterus.

As recorded by the World Cancer Research Fund International, endometrial cancer is the sixth most commonly occurring cancer in women and the fifteenth most common cancer overall, with four hundred and seventeen thousand new cases recorded in 2020.

Approximately 3 in 100 women will be diagnosed with uterine cancer at some point in their lives. More than 80 percent of people with uterine cancer survive for 5 years or longer after receiving the diagnosis according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

The symptoms of endometrial cancer include; vaginal bleeding after menopause, change in the length or heaviness of menstrual period, pelvic pain, and vaginal bleeding between periods or spotting.

Mayo clinic stated that doctors do not know the exact cause of endometrial cancer, but it occurs as a result of mutations in the DNA. This mutations lead to the growth of abnormal cells which unlike the healthy cells doesn’t die but accumulate to form tumor and later spread to other parts of the body.

Some of the factors known to increase the risk of having the cancer are; not bearing children, a late natural menopause ( after the age of 55), Tamoxifen- a hormone therapy, obesity, being tall, physical activity, and consumption of coffee (WCRI).

The treatment for endometrial cancer is majorly surgery to remove the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries depending on the cancer stage. Other treatment include radiation, hormone therapy and chemotherapy.

Monday Health Burst is an initiative of CFHI to address issues of basic health concern. Join us every Monday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.

#EndometrialCancer #UNFPA #WHO #NCI #MondayHealthBurst

 

                                                             

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON ENDOMETRIAL CANCER Read More »

WOMEN’S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

 

The phrase, “women’s rights are human rights” was used by the first lady of the United States, Hilary Rodham Clinton on September 5, 1995. This proves that the fight for the right of women from time immemorial is a global issue.

The right of women to live free from violence and discrimination; to be educated; to earn equal pay; to occupy political positions, the right to sexual and reproductive health, etc are not only women’s rights but human rights which are fundamental.

In Nigeria today, women still struggle in our patriarchal society infested with discriminatory practices and customs that devalues women. This is despite the fact that the Nigerian Government is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), an international treaty protecting the rights of women.

According to United Nations, half of the world’s population and potential are represented by women and girls. Therefore, gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but essential to achieving peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.

We can achieve a society free of discrimination if we all respect women’s rights. Thus, gender inequality is everyone’s problem.

Women are humans too.

Women’s rights are human rights

Human rights are women’s rights.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #Women’sRights #HumanRights #GenderStereotype #GenderBias #GenderInequality

 

 

WOMEN’S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS Read More »

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING IN CHILDREN

                                               

                                               

The impact of breast feeding on the growth of a child cannot be overstated. Breastfeeding is responsible for intimacy and bonding between mother and child. This intimacy and bond created during breastfeeding, can provide long lasting physical and psychological benefits. Research has shown that there is a connection between the breastfeeding experience of a child and the cognitive development later in life.

An assessment carried out by Bernard et al (2013), on the cognitive and motor development in 2 and 3 year old children showed that improved problem solving abilities in children were associated with prolonged duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Another study showed that there was a reduced risk of cognitive impairment among children when breastfed immediately after birth (Diepeveen et al., 2017).

According to WebMD, breastfeeding has a deep and lasting effect on the behaviour, mental health, thought and understanding in children. For instance, babies who are breastfed are likely to have stronger critical thinking and reasoning skills, better memory, early language ability, and enhanced motor skills.

Breastfeeding is encouraged to be practiced by every mother as its benefits extend to almost every area of a child’s growth, that is, physical, emotional, social and psychological growth.

Monday Health Burst is an initiative of CFHI to address issues of basic health concern. Join us every Monday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.

#Breastfeeding #UNFPA #WHO #ChildHealth #PsychologicalBenefitsofBreastfeeding #MondayHealthBurst

MONDAY HEALTH BURST ON PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING IN CHILDREN Read More »

WOMEN IN HUMANITARIAN LEADERSHIP

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 40% of half a million humanitarian workers who provide frontline care during emergencies, wars, and disasters, are women. That is an estimated figure of 250,000 aid workers.

Despite this significant figure, there is still gender inequality between men and women in the humanitarian leadership sector, with the implication that women are still underrepresented in humanitarian leadership roles (Stiffman 2015, cited in Hill et al. 2016).

The demonstrated commitment and contribution of women in the humanitarian sector confirms that it is vital that government and stakeholders enable an inclusive environment for women to become leaders for the transformation of the humanitarian system and society at large.

Leadership equality, however, is not about only having the same number of men and women in top positions or in the top of the organizational structure, it is also about making sure that there is equal opportunity for both women and men to get there.

The lack of women in leadership has a great impact across sectors and countries. It impedes productivity and performance of workplaces and has individual and national health, socioeconomic, education, and political impacts. Therefore, it is expedient that more support and regard are given to women who labor on the front lines in the most conflicted and unsafe places in the world.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #WorldHumanitarianDay #WomenInHumanitarianSector #WomenLeaders #GenderStereotype #GenderBias #GenderInequality

WOMEN IN HUMANITARIAN LEADERSHIP Read More »