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Gender exploitative and gender transformative aspects of employing Health Extension Workers under Ethiopia's Health Extension Program
Author(s) -
Jackson Ruth,
Kilsby Di,
Hailemariam Assefa
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.13197
Subject(s) - gender studies , focus group , geography , sociology , socioeconomics , medicine , anthropology
Objectives To apply a gender lens to Ethiopia's Health Extension Program and the role of Health Extension Workers ( HEW s). Methods Interviews with 45 HEW s and four focus group discussions with 14 of the same HEWS from three regions in rural Ethiopia: Afar Region; Tigray Region (Adwa Woreda); and two locations in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (Aleta Wondo Woreda and Kafa Zone). Two focus group discussions were conducted in Afar Region with 17 Women Extension Workers employed by Afar Pastoralist Development Association. Results Using the Gender Equality Continuum as a gender analysis tool, we found that Ethiopia's Health Extension Program is gender aware by directly linking improved health outcomes for women and their empowerment. However, for HEW s who inhabit a gendered space and place from home to district health centres, there can be unexpected consequences that accommodate existing gender inequalities, are blind to them and perhaps even generate new forms of exploitation. Conclusions The Health Extension Program could have more transformative outcomes for HEW s and also for communities if changing gender norms was given more attention and constraints to gender equality were reduced. Community Health Worker ( CHW ) programs should focus on better understanding on the role of gender for CHW s across health systems.