Event – January 2010
8,000 multilingual leaflets detailing women’s health services available for all women living in Ireland have been distributed to over 50 NGOs, community groups, citizens' information bureaus and accommodation centres where women seeking asylum reside.
The leaflet presents user – friendly information on how to access contraception, including emergency contraception, sexual health screening services and women’s health in the broader context. Topics covered:
- Family Planning
- Contraception
- STI & HIV/AIDS
- Crisis Pregnancy
- Domestic Violence
- Sexual Assault
- Sex Work
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
- BreastCheck
- Cervical Check
- Health and Legal support centres for migrant women.
The leaflet is published in the seven languages most commonly spoken by people seeking asylum in Ireland: Arabic, English, French, Georgian, Mandarin Chinese, Somali and Urdu.
The concept for the leaflet was developed through a community consultation with women seeking asylum and refugees. Women reported they lacked information on where women’s health services could be accessed. Low literacy levels in English presented an additional barrier to information. There was a call for information on all services relating to women’s sexual and reproductive health to be presented in one concise multilingual leaflet. The leaflet aims to fill the gap identified during the consultation.
The leaflet was first distributed at the Intercultural Health Fair, NUI Galway last year where it was found to be appealing, practical and useful for women from ethnic minority groups.
The leaflet was developed by the Majira project which aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health of women seeking asylum and refugees. Majira is a joint initiative between the IFPA and AkiDwA and is supported by Pobal, the Office of the Minister for Integration and the European Refugee Fund.