Photovoice and public health in Nepal

Development and evaluation of an innovative peer health education initiative: Nepalese women's struggle with a public health and human rights issue through participatory photography in Nepal

Uterine prolapse is a major public health problem, which affects nearly one million women in Nepal and deprives them of their health and social integration. Very young women are affected by this disabling condition, both physically and psychologically.

In 2008, the Nepalese Supreme Court recognized uterine prolapse as a human rights issue; the State has therefore mobilized to facilitate access to treatment. Apart from these efforts, there has been little support given to increase women’s awareness and knowledge on this preventable pathology.
This project aim was to develop and evaluate an innovative peer health education initiative on uterine prolapse, anchored in a participatory process, by creating a network of farmers women involved in the fight against the pathology in rural settings.

INTERVENTION

To start with, women affected by uterine prolapse were recruited to participate in a Photovoice workshop, so that they could become photo reporters and create their own visual data about their daily lives. This visual material was used for two purposes: to organize large exhibitions to sensitize the general public to this issue of public health and human rights but especially to create an awareness brochure made by affected women for women. This brochure has allowed us to train 160 new educators on uterine prolapse who in turn have trained 6’000 women in rural areas. This project is still ongoing.