What’s the best way of investing in the developing world? One organization is empowering families by investing in mothers.

Hands to Hearts International (HHI) is a non-profit organization that seeks to provide simple and cost-effective programs with tools for women, caregivers, and organizations to improve the early development of children surviving in orphanages, refugee camps, and severely impoverished or conflict-ridden communities.

Since 2004, HHI has brought nurturing care and empowerment to women across three states in India, reaching over 5,300 women and 32,000 children. In 2009, HHI partnered with Medical Teams International to bring education about early childhood development (ECD) and parenthood workshops to mothers and caregivers of orphans in the post-conflict regions of northern Uganda.

Development dollars invested in mothers

The concept of empowered parenting highlights the female’s capacity from within a society’s realm of gender roles and familial duty.  For the vast majority of girls and women in India and Uganda, motherhood is a goal as well as a lifestyle reality.  Marriage, childbirth, and parenthood mark a natural course of life.

Reaching development goals

Conversely, the marks of motherhood, such as the age of childbirth and number of children, are also factors used by development programs to assess courses for aid and progress.  These once exalted occasions of life are at risk of being reduced to measurable socioeconomic indicators of a community’s developmental progress.  Through maternal and ECD education, HHI believes motherhood can be celebrated while applying value to the role of motherhood within the parameters of development goals.

Numerous organizations- such as HHI, Medical Teams International, and Save the Children- are embracing maternal and ECD education as relevant components to women’s empowerment due to the invaluable tools given to successfully raise and educate the next generation.  According to a 2006 UNFPA study, one-quarter to one-half of the world’s girls will become mothers before reaching the age of 18, thus exemplifying the holistic approach of addressing motherhood.

Don’t overlook empowered motherhood

Perhaps empowered motherhood has been avoided or overlooked because practices such as early marriage and early childbirth are focal points of aid.  It appears that in lieu of empowering new mothers, many development programs target girls and women who have not reached this phase of life, hoping that education and entrepreneurial opportunities are sufficient factors for deferment.

But what of the others who were not able to fully embrace such opportunities? Women’s empowerment has proven to be an effort marked with incremental advances that slowly accumulate into inspirational achievements. If parenting and ECD workshops were a standardized within development agendas, women’s empowerment would progress in full circle by targeting women at every stage of life.

Empowering women: Most effective tool

The role and responsibility of motherhood should not be disregarded in the exploration of female entrepreneurship, innovation, and empowerment.  In fact, commemoration of this powerful capacity of motherhood could further magnify the acknowledgement of women’s potential in the economic, social, and domestic sphere.

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan most aptly stated:

There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women. No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity, lower infant and maternal mortality, or improve nutrition and promote health, including the prevention of HIV/AIDS. When women are fully involved, the benefits can be seen immediately: families are healthier; they are better fed; their income, savings and reinvestment go up. And what is true of families is true of communities and eventually, whole countries.

To embrace an encompassing empowerment model, we should strive to supplement international projects surrounding education and micro-finance programs with early childhood development workshops for the communities of caregivers and mothers.

Health-Care System, regulations, manufacturing, and distribution

There are many factors that should be considered before distributing Oral Contraceptives. As with any “drug product”, safety should be the concept when considering a new population (3), and, when considering distribution of a safely manufactured product, this requires a literate population with a dedicated health-care system. Still, we must remember the manufacturing process as well, because errors and illegal activity occurs.

Health: More than oral contraceptives

Although oral contraception is a valuable tool, I believe we should concentrate on other forms as well. For example, HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases are prevalent in many countries, and adolescents, as well as adults, should be educated on the proper use of other contraceptives. Although there are many married and single people in relationships with “trustworthy” partners, we know that many women and men are infected because of untrustworthy relationship as well; therefore, some societies may be harmed by distribution of oral contraception.

Brief statistics and a health-Care network

The number of women using contraception in the USA is 12 million while the world-wide number is estimated to be 100 million. Since many medical conditions-thrombophlebitis, pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, etc-cause problems when taking contraceptives, women should be evaluated by a Physician (1,2,3,4). In addition, age and smoking can cause problems as well. For this reason, the immediate impact will be communities where physicians, pharmacists, and other health-care practitioners can advise women about potential health concerns, perform proper physicals, and provide medical care. In addition, a consumer should have a literacy level that allows an understanding of complications associated with the oral contraceptive. Once accomplished, a network can be created to distribute oral contraception according to suggested protocols, which includes proper storage.

Drug interactions

Drug interactions are important for any consumer. In truth, a consumer may benefit from an “idea” of “chemical interaction” instead of “drug interaction”. Why? Pharmaceuticals, food, and herbal products can affect drugs.

For instance, grapefruit is known to affect liver metabolism of certain drugs, which affects the distribution within the body. In addition, there are other drugs and herbal products that may affect the efficacy of oral contraceptives as well. For example, St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum) is considered as a possible negative herbal product (14) because it may reduce the effectiveness of contraceptive steroids. In some continents and countries with high HIV prevalence, the HIV-infected consumer should know the effect of anti-HIV protease inhibitors on oral contraceptives. Furthermore, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and other drugs may increase the metabolism of contraceptive steroids, which will reduce the effectiveness as well.

Complications and adverse events

In truth, “The Pill” can cause some serious complications and, like any pharmaceutical, a system should be available that allows continuous data gathering of “adverse events” (12). As data is gathered, professionals can perform an analysis and determine new trends. An important process in societies that use pharmaceuticals because a drug is approved on a “benefits” versus “risks” profile, and the profile is very dependent upon data and human “population” statistics (3,4).

As with any drug, pharmaceutical companies create the analytical method, collect data, decide upon appropriate statistical methods, and provide a regulatory agency with information for a regulatory and scientific review (6). The pharmaceutical evaluation process is expensive and limited. The greater the population number, the better the evaluation but time and cost is drastically increased. Therefore, many pharmaceuticals are approved on an analysis of extremely small human population profiles. For this reason, there should be continuous monitoring (13). We humans need to remember the complexities of our bodies when distributing pharmaceuticals or evaluating any data associated with humans. Different ethnic populations will have different genetic disease profiles, and we know this because of medical and scientific research. As a drug is introduced into new areas where, on-average, the population may have a different genetic profile, health-care researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and others have to prepare for complications that may be related to a new genetic profile. As you can appreciate, this requires a society with advanced medical and scientific capabilities.

Sadly, some corporations may not provide the means to ensure safety. In truth, corporations are a business and, as an organization, have a survival based upon monetary gain. This is the reason some corporate employees or consultants don’t make the best decisions, and, at times, engage in illegal activity. As a recent example, I provide the latest tobacco industry product where nicotine was added to candy. Although the industry argues the candy was created to help adults quit smoking, we adults know children will “experiment”. As proof of child curiosity, I provide medicine cabinet pharmaceuticals as an example. I’m sure the tobacco employees are aware of dangers associated with potentially deadly pharmaceuticals in their home. By the way, the risk profile of pharmaceuticals can be affected by illegal manufacturing practices as well. Therefore, it is imperative that consumers, health-care professionals, and others report “adverse events” associated with any medical device or pharmaceutical product (13). At the bottom of this article, I provide links to many US Food and Drug Administration’s databases.

In contrast, a peer may argue the following: “The Pill” can be distributed in a manner similar to HIV drugs, and health-care practitioners are not “necessary” . In contrast, I argue the latter assumption sets a dangerous precedence in new distribution populations. Although many women may argue the contraceptive pill provides a means for women’s liberation, I believe there are safer and more effective liberation methods. When dealing with humans and pharmaceuticals, we need to adhere to previously established safety protocols. In fact, the safety protocols are “dynamic” and should be changed to meet the needs of new consumer populations (3).

Cost and distribution

As we know, many US people are attempting to get the pill covered by insurance. Why? Because it is an expensive drug, and women of industrialized nations cannot always afford the product. As such, women of other countries will benefit from the philanthropic interaction of corporations. Therefore, another “Conversation Starter” may have more networking connections than I, and find the following databases useful. In addition, all consumers should be aware of this valuable information. Why? Because they can research a drug, it’s interactions and complications, possible distribution problems, and make informed decisions.

Conclusion:

Women of developed countries have come a long way, and their struggle for equality should have been decreased by many years. As a chemical engineering student, I valued the intelligent thought process of female peers and many were the top students. I can say the same for the period of my biological science degree. As the son of a single mother, I can understand my female peers desire to assist other women with liberation. As we attempt to “liberate” others, we need to ensure proper protocols exist. As previously mentioned, these protocols are dynamic and will save the lives of many, reduce costs associated with manufacturing and distribution, and ensure a safe distribution of properly manufactured pharmaceuticals. With that said, later, I provide an example of United States Food and Drug Administration Resources. Resources that will assist with potential distribution of “The Pill”.

For further information on oral contraceptives

United States National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. MedlinePlus. Drugs and Supplements. Oral Contraceptives. MedlinePlus[online]. 2010. Available from: Oral Contraceptives. Search MedlinePlus”.

Next, Enforcement Reports, Recalls, US Food and Drug Administration Database Information, and how to obtain such important information:

References and FDA Databases

Enforcement reports and recalls

A “recall” (7) or “enforcement report” may not denote illegal activity. As we know, humans and equipment error. As such, we should expect some deviation from “accepted” processing norms and work to regain control, which is the power of statistical process control. Therefore, some corporate employees will honestly report errors and may face US FDA action after an inspection. Usually an FDA action will occur if the process is not meeting current Good Manufacturing Practices. Many corporate employees, including corporate management, view this “constructive criticism” negatively. In truth, corporations, like humans, need “constructive criticism” because it allows production of safe and efficacious product.

In addition, I would like to share some important information that is based on personal “a priori” knowledge. Although normal manufacturing errors occur, some pharmaceutical manufacturing scientists and engineers would rather endanger consumers than admit to errors. As such, they will cover up errors, mislead others, and knowingly place adulterated product on the market for consumption. Since they cover-up errors, a US FDA inspection may not reveal improper manufacturing. As a pharmaceutical chemical engineer, I had peers who regularly engaged in this activity, which is an activity I wouldn’t follow. Therefore, many companies may not have US FDA enforcement reports on file but engage in illegal activity. The latter reason emphasizes the importance of reporting “adverse events” (13), which could lead to “recalls” of product (7).

Sadly, Wall Street looks at these reports as well and make decisions based on FDA action. In turn, a company’s stock can be affected, which affects the investments of many. Although I say “sadly”, this process is important because it should force a company to manufacture safe product. In truth, many corporations and employees of corporations, care more about the “symbol”, which equates to money, than the health of consumers. As such, they may cover up data.

Searching

Searching for United States Food and Drug Administration on Birth Control Pills: United States Food and Drug Administration Class II Drugs:

The Search for Information!

A note on Errors: A possible mode of frustration

As with any database of information, consistency is important. In my opinion, this is a serious problem with much Internet Information. During my searching of the US FDA databases, I noticed the organization of drug names varied between databases, and some generic names don’t produce any search results. For example, one database will include a hyphen between names, which causes problems when using drug names. In addition, I noticed numerous errors in the National Drug Code Directory. Although the database is “maintained” by the US FDA, companies provide the data to be entered. What can we “consumers” do to help improve the accuracy? Well, we are all consumers, and we should all take the time and report errors, which is similar to “peer” review.

A suggested Method for Searching and Gathering Information on “The Pill” or any other Drug:

Commercial Medical Websites:

In truth, many of us will seek information from one of many medical websites. As a professional, I suggest a site that provides references and information verification methods. Once we have information, we can use the US Food and Drug Administration Databases to discover useful details regarding drugs, recalls, and enforcement reports.

Although I appreciate many sites, I have a tendency to use WebMD. When I searched webMD, I discovered the following list of birth Control Pills:

º Seasonale; • Enovid; º Alesse; • Brevicon; º Demulen; • Desogen; º Nordette; • Loestrin; º Norinyl; • Ortho-Cept; º Ortho Cyclen; • Ortho Novum; º Yasmin; • Yasmin.

After discovering some pills, I went to the US FDA website and began gathering data. Specifically, I was interested in recalls and enforcement reports, but I decided to collect the following data:

º FDA New Drug Application Number, “NDA”; • Active Ingredients; º Company; • Marketing Status; º National Drug Code, “NDC”; • Recalls; º Reason for Recall; • Date of Recall.

Next, some definitions:

New Drug Application, “NDA“, Number:

A six digit number that is assigned by the United States Food and Drug Administration to each application for approval to market a new drug in the United States. If a drug has different dosage forms or routes of administration, it may have another application number.

Active Ingredient:

An active ingredient is any component that provides pharmacological activity or other direct effect in the diagnosis, cure mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or animals.

Company:

The company (also called applicant or sponsor) submits an application to FDA for approval to market a drug product in the United States.

Marketing Status:

Indicates how a drug is sold in the United States, and given the following identification in the Drugs@FDA database. Prescription, Over-the Counter, Discontinued, and None.

• Prescription: A prescription drug product requires a doctor’s authorization to purchase.

• Over the Counter: A safe and effective drug for use by the general public without a doctor’s prescription.

• Discontinued: Products listed in Drugs@FDA as “discontinued” are approved products that have never been marketed, have been discontinued from marketing, are for military use, are for export only, or have had their approvals withdrawn for reasons other than safety or efficacy after being discontinued from marketing.

National Drug Code, “NDC”, Number:

A three-segment number that is a universal identifier for human drugs.

Recalls: Class I, I, and III:

• Class I Recall: A situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

• Class II Recall: A situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences are remote.

• Class III Recall: A situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.

Enforcement Report Definitions

After an Understanding of Terms:

Once we have an understanding of the definitions, we can search US FDA databases with a better understanding of the data. As I was searching, I used the Drugs@FDA and the Orange Book to obtain much of my information. I used my list of named “Pills” from WebMD, and searched the Drugs@FDA database to obtain New Drug Application, “NDA”, number. Once I discovered the NDA number, I searched the Orange Book, National Drug Code Directory, and any other database that allowed use of the NDA number. As I mentioned previously, the drug name often changed within the US FDA databases, which produced different results. In addition, some drug names didn’t produce a result, while the NDA did produce. In most situations, it seems the generic name caused a nil search. After obtaining and verifying the NDA number, drug name, active ingredients, company, etc with the Drugs@FDA and Orange Book databases, one can search for the National Drug Code, “NDC”, number.

A Search Based on NDA Number:

An NDA search allows one to find the greatest number associated with active ingredient “Strength”. Once I had a table of Label Code and Product Code values, I returned to the National Drug Code Directory and searched according to my newly discovered label and product codes. The NDC number is created with several numbers, and the labeler and product code numbers are a part of the NDC number.

National Drug Code Directory: Labeler and Product Code Search.

After selecting “Search by NDC Number”, “Search by NDC Number by Labeler Code and Product Code”, and entering the labeler and product codes, the National Drug Code Directory produces a nice table with the following:

º Trade Name; • Strength; º Complete NDC; • Packtype; º Packsize; • Firm Name.

Next, you can use your new information to understand the “Enforcement Report” or “Recall” search. Although an enforcement report or recall search can be completed independently, the latter procedure assists with an understanding of technical search knowledge. In turn, this may facilitate discussions with potential philanthropic suppliers, since the process can lead to generic names as well.

Enforcement Reports:

Finally, one may want to discover if enforcement reports or recalls exist. If they do, why did the recall occur and on what date. The latter allows a development of trends. Remember, some company’s may receive an enforcement report because of honesty, while others may hide “bad data” and appear as good manufactures. Also, politics does exist and some FDA investigators can be biased or corrupt as well, which can lead to biased reporting. In contrast, a recall is usually based on consumer or health-care data. The data of the report is pretty clear, and the US FDA provides explanations if needed.

A Brief Example of Available Information: Some Birth-Control Pill.

º Name: Enovid, Enovid-E, and Enovid-E 21 • Company: GD Searle LLC • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethynodrel • NDA: 010976

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Seasonale; Jolessa • Company: Duramed RES • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel • NDA: 021544

• NDC: none

• Recall #: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Alesse • Company: Wyeth Pharms Inc • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel • NDA: 020683

• NDC: none

• Recall #: D-443-2007; NDC 0008-2576-03 • Reason: Impurity (18 month stability) • Date: 2006

º Name: Brevicon 21-Day • Company: Watson Labs • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 017566

• NDC: None

• Recall: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Brevicon 28-Day • Company: Watson Labs • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 017743

• NDC: 53808-*071, 63285-*203; 52544-*254 (Watson Pharma Inc)

• Recalls: No Recalls of file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Demulen 1/35-21 • Company: GD Searle LLC • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Ethynodiol Diacetate • NDA: 018168

• NDC: 00025-0151 (GD Searle LLC)

• Recalls: No Recalls of file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Demulen 1/35-28 • Company: GD Searle LLC • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Ethynodiol Diacetate • NDA: 018160, other

• NDC: 65427-*161 (NDA: other; Pfizer); 00025-0161-09(NDA: other; GD Searle LLC); 55154-3612 (Cardinal Health); 60491-*181(Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc); 65084-*219 (RX PAK Div of McKesson Corp); 54868-0404 (Physicians Total Care Inc); 55154-3612 (Cardinal Health)

• Recalls: # D-501-5; NDC 00025-0161-09 • Reason: Subpotent; Ethinyl Estradiol • Date: 2005

º Name: Demulen 1/50-21 • Company: GD Searle LLC • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Ethynodiol Diacetate • NDA: 016927

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Demulen 1/50-28 • Company: GD Searle LLC • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Ethynodiol Diacetate • NDA: 016936

• NDC: 60491-*183 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA INC); 65427-*081 (Pfizer)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Desogen; Solia • Company: Organon USA Inc • Marketing Status: Oral-21, Discontinued; Oral-28, Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Desogestrel; Ethinyl Estradiol • NDA: 020071

• NDC: 53808-*072 (Dept Health Central Pharmacy); 66993-*611 (Prasco Laboratories); 60889-0261 (Organon Ireland LTD); 54868-3863 (Physicians Total Care Inc.); 00052-0261 (Organon USA Inc.)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Nordette-21; Levelen-21 • Company: Duramed RES • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonoregestrel • NDA: 018668

• NDC: 50419-*410 (Levlen 21, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Nordette-28; Levlen-28 • Company: Duramed • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonoregestrel • NDA: 018782

• NDC: 60491-*411 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc.); 60491-*456 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc.); 51285-*091 (Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc Sub Barr Laboratories Inc)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Loestrin 21 1.5/30 • Company: Warner Chilcott • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate • NDA: 017875

• NDC: 00071-0916 (Parke Davis Div Warner Lambert Co); 00047-0082 (Warner Chilcott Co INC); 51285-*082 (Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc Sub Barr Laboratories Inc)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Loestrin 21 1/20 • Company: Warner Chilcott • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate • NDA: 017876

• NDC: 51285-*079 (Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc Sub Barr Laboratories Inc); 00071-0915 (Parke Davis Div Warner Lambert Co); 00047-0079 (Warner Chilcott Co Inc)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Loestrin 24 FE • Company: Warner Chilcott • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate • NDA: 021871

• NDC: 54868-6100 (Physicians Total Care Inc); 00047-0530 (Warner Chilcott Co Inc.); 00430-0530 (Warner Chilcott US LLC)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Loestrin FE 1.5/30 • Company: Warner Chilcott • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate • NDA: 017355

• NDC: 51285-*083, -*084 (Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc Sub Barr Laboratories Inc); 00071-0917 (Parke Davis Div Warner Lambert Co.); 60491-*366 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc.); 00047-0083, -0534 (Warner Chilcott Co Inc); 54868-1512(Physicians Total Care Inc.)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Loestrin FE 1/20 • Company: Warner Chilcott • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate • NDA: 017354

• NDC: 51285-*080, *081 (Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc Sub Barr Laboratories Inc.); 00071-0913 (Parke Davis Div Warner Lambert Co); 60491-*365 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc); 00047-0080, -0081(Warner Chilcott Co Inc.); 54868-0502(Physicians Total Care)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Norinyl • Company: Watson Labs• Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethindrone • NDA: 013625

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Norinyl and Norinyl 1 +50 21-Day • Company: Watson Labs • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethindrone • NDA: 013625

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Norinyl 1 +35 21-Day and Norinyl 1 +35 28-Day; Genora • Company: Watson Labs • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 017565

• NDC: 63285-*200 (Patheon Inc Toronto Region Operations); 52544-*259 (Watson Pharma Inc); 54868-0528 (Genora, Physicians Total Care Inc.)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: º Tri-Norinyl 21-Day and Tri-Norinyl 28-Day; Leena • Company: Watson Labs • Marketing Status: 21-Day, Discontinued; 28-Day, Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 018977

• NDC: 53808-*070 (Dept Health Central Pharmacy); 63285-*201, -*208 (Patheon Inc Toronto Region Operations; -*208: Leena); 52544-*219 (Leena, Watson Pharma Inc); 60491-*654 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Norinyl 1+35 21-Day; 1+35 28-Day; Genora • Company: Watson Labs • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 017565

• NDC: 63285-*200 (28 Day, Patheon Inc Toronto Region Operations); 52544-*259 (28 Day, Watson Pharma Inc); 54868 -*0528 (Genora, Physicians Total Care Inc)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Norinyl 1+50 28-Day; Genora • Company: Watson Labs • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethindrone • NDA: 016659

• NDC: 63285-*209 (Patheon Inc Toronto Region Operations); 52544-*265 (Watson Pharma Inc); 54868-0529 (Genora, Physicians Total Care Inc.)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho Cept • Company: Ortho McNeil Janssen • Marketing Status: Oral-21, Discontinued; Oral-28, Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Desogestrel; Ethinyl Estradiol • NDA: 020301

• NDC: 53808-*042 (Dept Health Central Pharmacy); 60491-*906 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc.); 00062-1796 (Ortho McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc Ortho McNeil Unit); 00107-1796 (Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho Cyclen-21 and Ortho Cyclen-21 28; Trinessa • Company: Ortho McNeil Janssen • Marketing Status: Ortho Cyclen-21, Discontinued; Ortho Cyclen-28, Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norgestimate • NDA: 019697; 019653

• NDC: 53808-*043 (NDA: 019697, Dept Health Central Pharmacy); 59564-*221, -*233 (NDA: 019677, Innovative Manufacturing and Distribution Services Inc.); 52544-*248, -*247, -*526 (NDA: 019677, -*248; NDA: 019653, -*247 and -*526; Watson Pharma Inc. ); 00062-1903 (NDA: 019677, Ortho McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. Ortho McNeil Unit); 00107-1903 (NDA: 019677, -1903; NDA: 019653, -1901; Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC ); 55045-2782 (NDA: 019697, ); 54868-4093, -5826 (NDA: 019697; -5826; Physicians Total Care Inc ); 54868-2606 (NDA: 019653; Physicians Total Care Inc); 00062-1901, -1907, -9350 (NDA: 019697, -9350; NDA: 019653, -1901, -1907; Ortho McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals inc Ortho McNeil Unit); 00107-1901, -9350, -5260 (NDA: 019697; -9350; NDA: 019653, -1901, -5260; Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Mononessa, A generic of Ortho Cyclen • Company: Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC; Watson Pharma Inc. • Marketing Status: See above

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norgestimate • NDA: 019653

• NDC: 00062-5260 [other], 00107-5260, (Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC); 52544-*526, -*247 (Watson Pharma Inc)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 1/35-21 • Company: Ortho McNeil Pharm • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 017489

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 1/35-28 • Company: Ortho McNeil Janssen• Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 017919

• NDC: 53808-*031 (Dept Health Central Pharmacy); 60491-*908 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc.) 59564-*149 (Innovative Manufacturing and Distribution Services Inc); 00179-1297 (Kaiser FDN Hosp); 00062-1761 (Ortho McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc Ortho McNeil Unit); 00062-1761; 00107-1761 (Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 1/50-21 • Company: Ortho McNeil Pharm • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol Norethindrone • NDA: 012728

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 1/50-28 • Company: Ortho McNeil Pharm • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethindrone • NDA: 016709

• NDC: 53808-*030 (Dept Health Central Pharmacy); 00062-1332 (Ortho McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc Ortho McNeil Unit); 00107-1332 (Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 1/80 21 • Company: Ortho McNeil Pharm • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethindrone • NDA: 016715

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 1/80 28 • Company: Ortho McNeil Pharm • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethindrone • NDA: 016715

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 10-21 • Company: Ortho McNeil Pharm • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethindrone • NDA: 012728

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 10/11-21 • Company: Ortho McNeil Janssen • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 018354

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 10/11-28 • Company: Ortho McNeil Janssen • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 018354

• NDC: 00062-1771 (Ortho McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc Ortho McNeil Unit); 00107-1771 (Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 2-21 • Company: Ortho McNeil Pharm • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Mestranol; Norethindrone • NDA: 012728

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 7/14-21, Ortho-Novum 7/14-28;, and Jenest 28 Tablets • Company: Ortho McNeil Pharm • Marketing Status: Discontinued

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 019004

• NDC: 00062-1790 (Ortho McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc Ortho McNeil Unit)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Ortho-Novum 7/7/7-21 and Ortho-Novum 7/7/7-28 • Company: Ortho McNeil Janssen • Marketing Status: Oral-21, Discontinued; Oral 28, Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone • NDA: 018985

• NDC: 54868-0508 (Physicians Total Care Inc); 53808-*032 (Dept Health Central Pharmacy); 59564-*148 (Innovative Manufacturing and Distribution Services Inc); 60491-*910 (Pharmaceutical Utilization Management Program VA Inc) 52544-*936 (Watson Pharma Inc.);00179-1298 (Kaiser FDN Hosp); 00062-1781(Ortho McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. Ortho McNeil Unit); 00107-1781 (Ortho Pharmaceutical Division of Janssen Ortho LLC)

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: n/a

º Name: Yasmin; Ocella • Company: Bayer Hlthcare • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol • NDA: 021098

• NDC: 50419-*402 (Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc); 12866-0402 (Bayer Schering Pharma); 54868-4590 (Physicians Total Care Inc); 54868-5922 (Physicians Total Care Inc); 00555-9131 (Barr Laboratories Inc); 64259-9131; 64259-0402 (Schering GMBH UND Co. Produktions KG)

• Recalls: 2) Ocella (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol tablets) 3 mg/0.3 mg, Rx only;This package contains one blister of 28 tablets: 21 yellow tablets, containing 3 mg of drospirenone and 0.3 mg of ethinyl estradiol; and seven white inert tablets’, NDC 0555-9131-767. Recall # D-047-2010

• Reason: Current Good Manufacturing Deviations: Out of specification analytical value for chemical assays of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol was averaged with another analytical value to provide a reported result that was within specification. • Date: 2009

º Name: Yaz • Company: Bayer Hlthcare • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol • NDA: 021676

• NDC: 64259-0405 (Schering GMBH UND Co. Produktions KG); 54868-5535; 54868-5828; (Physicians Total Care Inc); 50419-*405 (Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.); 12866-0405 (Bayer Schering Pharma AG)

• Recalls: Recall # D-046-2010

• Reason: Current Good Manufacturing Practices Deviations: Out of Specification analytical value for chemical assays of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol was averaged with another analytical value to provide a reported result that was within specification.

• Date: 2009

º Name: Yaz • Company: Bayer Hlthcare • Marketing Status: Prescription

• Active Ingredients: Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol • NDA: 021873; 022045

• NDC: None

• Recalls: No Recalls on file • Reason: n/a • Date: 2009

References:

1. WebMD. Birth Control Health Center. Birth Control Pills. WebMD[online]. 2010. Available from: Birth Control Pills, WebMD.

2. Watson, Stephanie; Hoffman, Matthew MD. WebMD. Women’s Health. Birth Control Overview. WebMD[online]. 2010. Available from: Women’s Health, WebMD.

3. Dinger, Juergen C.; Bardenheuer, Kristina, and Assmann, Anita. Taking Oral Contraceptives (INAS-OC Study). BMC Med Res Methodol[online]. 2009. vol.9(77). Available from: Entrez, The Life Sciences Search Engine. Search Entrez.

4. Katzung, Bertram G., MD, PhD. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, ninth edition. Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill. 2004. Available from: Amazon. ISBN: 0-07-141092-9. ISBN: 0-07-144097-6. ISSN: 0891-2033.

5. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. Drugs. Drugs. Drug Approvals and Databases. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: Drugs: Quick Links. Search US FDA.

6. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. Drugs. New Drug Application, “NDA”, Introduction. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: Drugs. Search US FDA.

7. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. Safety. Enforcement Report Definitions. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: Enforcement Reports. Enforcement Report, Information. Search US FDA.

8. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. Drugs. Drugs@FDA. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: Drugs@FDA. Drugs@FDA Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ. Search US FDA.

9. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. Drugs. Orange Book: Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: Orange Book. Orange Book Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ. Electronic Orange Book (EOB) Query data files Definitions. Search US FDA.

10. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. Drugs. National Drug Code Directory, “NDC”. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: NDC. Definitions. Search US FDA.

11. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. Drugs. Drug Firm Annual Registration Status. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: Drug Firm Registration Search. Drug Firm Annual Registration Status Information. Search US FDA.

12. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. Drugs. Adverse Event Reporting System, AERS”. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: AERS Description. Search US FDA.

13. United States Food and Drug Administration, “FDA”. For Consumers, Your Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA: Animal & Veterinary; Cosmetics; Dietary Supplements; Drugs; Food; Medical Devices; Radiation-Emitting Products, and Vaccines, Blood & Biologics. FDA[online]. 2010. Available from: For Consumers. Search US FDA.

14. United States National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. MedlinePlus. Drugs and Supplements. St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.). MedlinePlus[online]. 2010. Available from: St. John’s wort. Search MedlinePlus”.

15. Public Broadcasting System. American Experience. The Pill. OPB[online]. 2010. Available from: Timeline: The Pill. Search PBS.

I addition to being a new “Conversation Starter” at Conversations for a Better World, which is a United Nations Population Fund Site, I have content at my Gather Network.

This article, examples, and references can be viewed at: Gather as well.

This year the revolutionary birth control pill will achieve a milestone-it has been fifty years since the contraceptive was introduced to women in America.

In the early years only married women could buy the pill. Looking back the struggle it took to make sure that all women have access to the pill,Campus Progress- a project of Center for American progress says,

“It was available for sale to married women on June 23, 1960, though it took a battle with the Supreme Court to guarantee that right to all married women in 1965. That right was eventually extended to all women in another Supreme Court decision in 1972. Today the pill is so much a part of everyday life for many women. Still, the pill remains controversial; anti-choice groups still try to wrongly claim the pill causes abortions and many family planning advocates worry that public policy would be used to restrict access to the contraceptive rather than expand it. “

Benefits of contraception access

Increasing woman’s access to safe contraceptives also lowers abortion rate. According to The Christian Science Monitor,

“Between 1995 and 2003, the number of abortions performed worldwide fell from 45.5 million to 41.6 million. The global rate of abortions fell as well: from 35 abortions for every 1,000 women of reproductive age (15-44) in 1995, to 29 per 1,000 women in 2003.

The decline corresponds with a growth in contraceptive use worldwide. The proportion of married women practicing contraception rose from 54 percent in 1990 to 63 percent in 2003, Guttmacher reports. Unmarried, sexually active women are also more likely to be using contraception.”

Opposition to the Pill

Although, increased contraceptive use has lowered abortion rate globally, in the Unites States some religious and social lobbies oppose certain kinds of contraceptives-especially Plan B emergency birth control pill, claiming that they cause abortions. Fox News reported in 2007 that,

Some critics — including Roman Catholic leaders — consider the pill tantamount to abortion, although Barr(Barr Pharmaceutical) says it has no effect on women who are already pregnant. Catholic bishops in Connecticut protested in May when the state legislature passed a bill requiring all hospitals, including Catholic facilities, to offer Plan B to rape victims.

Then there is the controversy over whether birth control pills and other forms on contraceptives should be covered by insurers. Jaime Sanderson says that birth control pills should be covered by the insurers. In his blog post he cites a survey commissioned by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which reported that,

….· Three out of four people (74 percent) favor requiring insurance to cover the birth control pill and other forms of contraception at low or no cost, like they do for other preventive health care measures and medications.

It seems that debate over the pill and access to contraceptives will remain a sensitive issue in the United Sates, no matter how far the country has come since the pill was first introduced 50 years ago.

Over the years, many policies have had a discriminatory impact on African women, often unintended since gender equity/equality has hardly been assimilated in the society. This is mostly due to certain constraints and barriers that women face in our society, as a result of social, cultural and legal norms.

Some of the cultural beliefs is that it’s not sensible for a woman to own land, since women were considered as strangers. In other words, as someone’s property; and, it will be foolish for property to own property.

Though, most of the lands then were considered as shrines, secret lands for the gods or evil lands for the deaths, and thus a taboo for a woman to go close to such zones. Paradoxically, these sites have become centre township villes in recent years.

Yet, women are relegated to occupy only limited circumscribed position in the society of which leads to a major contribution to the feminine poverty.

Furthermore, women have been invisible in policy and decision making which has eliminated their perspectives, concerns and possible alternative approaches regarding environmental sustainability. Consequently, developmental activities and men’s interest in selected natural resources is geared towards money making.

These actions ignored the long-team effects on the environment and natural resources. As a result, women and their families are adversely affected by projects that deplete the resources base on which they rely.
For example, their men deplete the natural resources through exploitation. Hence, the women are exposed as victims of environmental damage– especially women living in fringe rural and urban areas. They are at particular risk from environmental dislocation because their livelihood depends so much on stable and fertile natural resources.

Furthermore, their bodies adsorb pollutants and toxins that, because of their reproduction role, can be passed on to the next generation. They are more vulnerable to the ravages of declining resources because of their daily responsibilities in caring for the families and communities.

That is not all. Women tend to work longer hours than men. This difference in workload is particularly marked for rural women, the world’s principal food producers. Women are involved in every stage of food production and, although there is a gender-based division of labor, women tend to shoulder the larger share.

In addition to food production activities, women have the responsibilities of preparing and processing the food, while fulfilling their fundamental role of nurturing and caring for children and tending to elderly members of the household.

Following an oral interview with Mr. Awantos, he feels that the increasing rate of the workload upon women is due to lack of employment and other income-generating opportunities for their men. Thus, this has led to an increasing seasonal or permanent emigration of male population and, therefore, a significant rise in the number of female headed household, and also the “feminization” of agriculture.

When interviewing some rural women on their opinion, Ma Josephine said,

It’s obvious that the rural women, for example, generations after generations, have built up a stock of knowledge about their local environment, its nature and resources durability, also their medicinal and other uses. We can tell when it’s favorable for particular crop cultivation, taking into consideration all environmental and climatic conditionality. But, because there is a gender bias in resources allocation, men have not given women the opportunity to deeply explore these skills and gain experience, which are significant– not only to their own individual needs, but also for the need of the society.

According to Ma Achu, women are better natural resources managers. But, their unequal status and limited access to education has led to many unfair results. This can only be corrected by:

• A holistic environmental development approached is implemented

• Empowering women by giving them the legal right to own any resource

• Rural economy should be diversified. In other words, farming should not be the only occupation; let women be trained in different fields of work. For example, while some are doing farming, others could be trained to become secretaries, typists, etc.

Finally, there should be a change in attitude and social perception towards women.

If women we given equal status in all societies in the world, we would have not only a better life for women, but a drastic lowering of AIDS, poverty, and population growth. Without a reduction in population growth, no amount of technology can save mankind for very long from man-caused environmental collapse. We could very well see a civilization-saving reversal of world population by this one mechanism alone.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A great deal of attention is placed on domestic violence (or violence within the family) and its effects on women and girls. At the same time, violence against women and girls extends into the public sphere (such as sexual harassment, rape, robbery) and a great deal of good work is happening in this areas well . I suggest that violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres are not separate issues and as such, should not be treated separately in our work to eliminate violence against women and girls.

Violence against women and girls in the public sphere directly influences and reinforces attitudes about the vulnerability and objectivity of women and girls within society as a whole. These attitudes are taken into the home and enacted in personal relationships in the private context.

Simultaneously, violence against women and girls in the private sphere creates a set of norms for male-female relations in public. Thus, women and girls are more afraid in public space due to their experiences of violence at home. Violence against women and girls in public is also perceived as normal and deserved when it is a continuation of violence in the home.

For these reasons, it is important to address violence against women and girls in both the public and private spheres. How do we bridge this gap? What kind of practices and policies approach violence against women in both spaces? How can we develop a dialogue and awareness-raising strategy that encompasses all forms of violence against women?

As mobile and web technologies become increasingly accessible to those living in remote poverty around the world, the potential to expand access to health care to underserved populations becomes ever more real.

It’s exciting to see the many ways that innovative people and organizations are able to take advantage of the spread of technology to make positive social change. Ushahidi, an open-source platform that can be used by anyone to collect and visualize user-generated information, is an excellent example. They’re using mobile and web technology – including social media platforms like Twitter – to capture critical up-to-date reports from individuals in crisis areas through crowd-sourcing and filtering.

Check out this short video for Erik Hersman’s brief introduction to Ushahidi.

Ushahidi creates a hub for user-generated crisis information that comes in through text messages, tweets, and emails around a given crisis in a specific geographic area. Their team then uses the “Swift River” filtering system to determine which reports are legitimate and group them thematically. The reports are placed on an interactive map so that users can see exactly where emergencies are being reported. Right now, for example, this tool is making a difference in Haiti by helping aid workers and first responders identify where and for what the needs are greatest.

What if this tool was used for women going through labor or labor-related complications?

There are already some open-source map-based initiatives being built for the maternal health field. The Maternal Health Task Force has designed three interactive, user-generated maps that depict maternal health knowledge hubs, MPH programs offering a maternal health concentration, and organizations working in maternal health. Another key contributor is Maternova, one of the Changemakers early entry prize winners for the Healthy Mothers, Strong World competition, which is building an open-source map of maternal health care facilities around the world.

By combining these maps, which outline the maternal health “supply” worldwide, with information and interactive maps that visually depict demand, perhaps we could create a clearer, more visual picture of the true gaps in health access.

Pregnant women in need of care – or their friends and family – could text an emergency alert to a number assigned by Ushahidi. This would then be transmitted to health professionals in the region, and made widely available on the internet. Though ensuring an immediate response to the requests will take time and a larger overarching strategy, the reporting of this information alone can help direct health care facilitators to the areas most in need.

Let me know what you think about the potential to use mobile and web technologies to crowd source information for maternal health by responding to this post. To learn about other innovative ideas for maternal health, or to submit your own, visit www.changemakers.com/maternalhealth before the competition deadline, March 17th.

This piece was originally posted on the Ashoka Change InSight blog at www.ashoka.org/changeinsight.

The Washington Post’s recent article, “For Women in America Equality is Still An Illusion” brought to light some chilling statistics, not simply because it detailed daily inequalities and atrocities born by and committed against women, but also because the horror stories described are taking place in our own neighborhoods. It discussed the rape, murder, poverty, and bias endured by women in the United States, as opposed to the far off lands with which we tend to associate such crimes— it charged us as sufferers of “mass delusion.”

And it’s true: as a working woman in America my focus rarely falls to my own backyard. Short of commentaries such as these, which remind us that “women are shot dead in the street here too,” the plight of women in this country has been given over to a few diligent national women’s groups and concealed behind the glitz of pop culture. It is a movement that has been outsourced to developing countries and branded as the problem of cultures that are not ours. In fact, we are almost required to believe our own hype in order to sell it, for how can we purport to set an example for women’s equality and human rights in other countries if we haven’t achieved it ourselves?

Statistics such as these leave us with a clear message:

More than 1,000 women were killed by their partners in 2005, and of all the women murdered in the United States, about a third are killed by a husband or boyfriend. A leading cause of death for pregnant women? Murder by a partner. In Iraq, women serving in the military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire.

The rights, safety, and freedom of women is a movement that decisively needs to expand inward and globalized, not simply exported. And perhaps, casting away our “illusions” and openly recognizing our own struggles can spark a collective movement to advance the situation of women everywhere.

Violence against women has been recognized as a crucial issue in Indonesian within last fifteen years.

Since early the 1990s growing numbers of women’s crisis centers are appearing in provinces all over Indonesia to provide services to survivors of violence. These centers are provided not only grass roots activists but police and hospitals too.

Since 1984 when Indonesia ratified CEDAW, a Zero Tolerance Policy was introduced in 1999, the National Action Plan on Elimination of Violence Against Women was formulated in 2000 and finally, the Government of Indonesia passed the Anti-Domestic Violence Act in 2004.

These initiatives have had a real impact for women in Indonesia, such as a sharp increase in women reporting incidences of domestic violence which were once seen as a ‘family matter’ not to be discussed outside the home.

But what has been the impact of these measures on men?

Nur Hasyim of Rifka Annisa, a women’s crisis center in Yogyakarta, asked this question at the Regional Conference on Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Muslim Societies held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in March 2009.

Rifka Annisa identified the gaps in anti-violence initiatives and saw that working with men and boys was an essential next step. According to Hasyim, by changing men, the effort to build new relationship or non abusive relationship between men and women will be achieved.

Rifka Annisa has developed initiatives since 2007 including:

a. Researching men and masculinity
b. Promoting new concept of masculinity
c. Building space for men to talk about themselves
d. Mobilizing men and boys to engage in anti-violence activities
e. Initiating behavioral change counseling program.

Rifka Annisa is continuing to translate theory about working with men and boys to end violence against women into practice. Contact the organisation here.

Nur Hasyim’s paper from the Regional Conference mentioned above was drawn upon heavily for this short article. Read the full paper here.

This is a response to the blog-post, “A call to action: Your views on men and domestic abuse.”