The Right to Health of Women Prisoners with Hearing Impairment in Selected Prisons of Central Ethiopia Regional State
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Date
2025-01-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The right to health is a basic human right on its own and is essential for realization of other human rights, as outlined in numerous international and regional human right treaties and standards. Ethiopia ratified various international and regional instruments that guaranteed the right to health of all including women prisoners with hearing impairments. The main objective of this thesis is to assess the realization of the right to health of women prisoners with hearing impairment in selected prisons of central Ethiopia region. To achieve this objective, the study employed a qualitative method which is used to gather data from primary sources and secondary sources through interviews and personal observations. Various key informants were interviewed, including (both able prisoners and women prisoners with hearing impairment), prison health providers, and officials from the central regional state. The study discloses that healthcare services at the selected Prisons do not meet the UN SMR’s principles and minimum standards. There is no sign language interpreter, hearing aid and other alternative mechanisms to communicate with women prisoners with hearing impairments. Furthermore, prisoners including women prisoners with hearing impairments do not get basic medical treatments such as mental health care, dental care and specialized treatment essential for the needs of women prisoner with hearing impairment including hearing examination. In the prisons, insufficient healthcare facility including shortage of medical equipment, medical personals, medications are the main challenges women prisoners with hearing impairment face in addition to insufficient health care service such as referral services, medical screenings and information’s related to sexual and reproductive health without accessible communication formats. Lack of training in sign language to healthcare provider, inadequate awareness to accommodation patients with hearing impairments, double discrimination and stigma, low level of government commitment are the contributing factors for inadequate service to women prisoners with hearing impairments. Insufficient food, water and poor-quality hygienic and sanitation facilities also hinder women prisoners with hearing impairments from leading a healthy and quality life. Therefore, right to health of women prisoners with hearing impairments in selected prisons of Central Ethiopian region is far from realization and does not meet international human right instruments and standards that Ethiopia ratified
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The Study Discloses that Healthcare Services at the Selected Prisons do not Meet the UN SMR’s