How does Menstruation Impact Women's Economic Participation and Livelihoods in Uganda?

研究将寻求回答以下问题：女性如何经历月经？月经对女性的经济安全有什么影响？在非洲城市的非正式化和即兴创作中，月经是如何配置的？妇女在获得性保健和生殖保健时面临哪些挑战？妇女采取了哪些策略和应对机制来管理她们的月经，以避免在工作时被污名化，可以做些什么来改善这种情况？ 这项研究将集中在安科莱地区的姆巴拉拉，因为在2016年乌干达人口健康调查（UDHS）中，85.4%的妇女被雇用，其中75%以上的妇女从事销售，服务，手工艺/贸易和农业行业（乌干达统计局，2016年：49-70）。 这项研究将利用几种不同的研究方法，包括：1）对乌干达月经和妇女参与劳动经济的文献进行系统审查; 2）分析乌干达的卫生系统和妇女在性健康和生殖健康方面的途径，以及卫生系统和结构，3）定性半结构化访谈，以及使用art等参与性方法，照片或绘画，以进一步探讨与受访者的月经私人问题。有目的的最大变异抽样将被用来进行30-40定性半结构化的定性访谈与妇女谁有不同的经验，月经，进一步探讨如何月经耻辱影响他们的财务福祉时，在非正规部门就业。采访将在当地语言ruNyankore与研究助理进行，并翻译成英语。我将参加ruNyankore课程，以便在用当地语言进行的采访中进行更好的观察，并与妇女进行简单的对话。一些年轻妇女也可能会用英语交流，她们本来可以在学校学习英语，并获得医疗保健等服务。对于那些觉得英语说得很舒服的人，面试将以英语进行。18至49岁的妇女将有资格被列入这一研究项目。选择这个年龄组是因为我可以分析对月经的态度如何在整个生命过程中变化。访谈问题将涵盖妇女对月经的信念和知识、月经期间的行为和做法、卫生设施和月经保健资源的获得和提供情况、工作场所的性别关系和歧视行为等主题。女性在参加研究前将获得一份知情同意书，其身份将是匿名的。将寻求大学和乌干达IRB和UNCST的适当伦理批准。数据将使用NVivo存储和转录，并使用专题分析进行分析。 此外，我将与乌干达子宫内膜异位症护理中心合作，这是一个总部设在坎帕拉的非政府组织（NGO），帮助坎帕拉及周边地区患有子宫内膜异位症的妇女和女孩。本研究旨在透过对月经的探讨，推进具身性与都市理论的理论整合。这一点很重要，因为在城市环境中，特别是在全球南方，女性经历月经的方式会因她们获得资源，就业，文化规范和习俗而有所不同。嵌入具体化和城市理论，使人类学，人文地理学，人口学和公共卫生学科之间的跨学科方法。通过综合体现和城市理论，这项研究将通过在生计和经济背景下围绕妇女身体的辩论来推进城市和健康地理。它还可以为生殖保健系统以及妇女性保健和生殖保健的途径和转诊程序提供信息。

Research will seek to answer the following questions: How do women experience menstruation? What impact does menstruation have on women's financial security? How is menstruation configured in the informalisation and improvisation of African cities? What challenges do women face when accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare? What strategies and coping mechanisms do women adopt to manage their menstruation to avoid stigmatisation whilst working and what could be done to improve the situation? The research will focus on Mbarara, based in the Ankole region, as 85.4% of women surveyed in 2016 Ugandan Demographic Health Survey (UDHS) were employed with over 75% of these women working in sales, services, craft/trade, and agricultural industries (Ugandan Bureau of Statistics, 2016:49-70). This research will utilise several different research methods including 1) a systematic review on the literature of menstruation and women's participation in the labour economy in Uganda; 2) an analysis of the health system and pathways for women regarding sexual and reproductive health as well as of the sanitation systems and structures in Uganda, and 3) qualitative semi-structured interviews, and participatory methods such as using art, photos, or drawings to further explore the private issue of menstruation with those interviewed. Purposive maximum variation sampling will be utilised to conduct 30-40 qualitative semi-structured qualitative interviews with women who have diverse experiences of menstruation, exploring further how menstrual stigma impacts their financial wellbeing when employed within the informal sector. Interviews will be conducted in the local language of ruNyankore with a research assistant and translated to English. I will take ruNyankore lessons to make better observations during interviews conducted in the local language and to have simple conversations with women. It is also likely that some young women can communicate in English, which they would have learned at school and to access services such as healthcare. For those who feel comfortable speaking English, interviews will be conducted in English. Women aged 18 to 49 will qualify to be included in this research project. This age group was selected as I can analyse how attitudes towards menstruation vary across the life course. Interview questions will cover themes such as women's beliefs and knowledge regarding menstruation, behaviours and practices whilst menstruating, access to and availability of sanitation and menstrual health resources, and gendered relations and discriminatory action in the workplace. Women will be given a consent form prior to taking part in the study and their identities will be anonymous. Appropriate ethical approval from the university and Ugandan IRB and UNCST will be sought. Data will be stored and transcribed using NVivo and analysed using thematic analysis. In addition, I will partner with Endometriosis Care Centre Uganda, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Kampala, who help women and girls living with the condition in Kampala and surrounding areas. This research aims to advance the theoretical synthesis between embodiment and urban theory through an exploration of menstruation. This is important because the ways in which women experience menstruation in an urban context, particularly one in the Global South, will differ based upon their access to resources, employment, cultural norms, and customs. Embedding embodiment and urban theory enables for an interdisciplinary approach between the disciplines of anthropology, human geography, demography, and public health. By synthesising embodiment and urban theory, this research will advance urban and health geographies by informing debates around women's bodies in the context of livelihoods and the economy. It can also inform reproductive health systems as well as the pathways and referral process for women's sexual and reproductive health care.