This study seeks to train persons affected by leprosy and their family members in the content of the UN Principles and Guidelines and measure the impact of the training on their dignity, inclusion and empowerment. The study will be performed in Niger, Nigeria and Mozambique.
Using the UN Principles and Guidelines in Local Participatory Campaigns to increase Dignity, Empowerment, and Inclusion among Individuals Who Have Personally Faced the Challenges of Leprosy: A Comparison of Three African Countries
Project coordination
Partners
- University of Arizona (USA)
- German Leprosy and TB Relief Association (Germany)
- IDEA Mozambique
- IDEA Niger
- IDEA Nigeria
Project summary
In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly approved The UN Principles and Guidelines for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons Affected by Leprosy and Their Family Members which called for the recognition of the rights, dignity, inclusion, and empowerment of those affected by leprosy and their family members. To date, the UN Principles and Guidelines have not been widely distributed among persons affected by leprosy.
Previous research has shown though that the distribution of UN human rights documents should be tailored to specific social and cultural contexts. The research group expects that when the Principles and Guidelines are presented in a socially and culturally sensitive way they will have a profound impact on people experienced with leprosy and their families.
This study seeks to train persons affected by leprosy and their family members in the content of the UN Principles and Guidelines and measure the impact of the training on their dignity, inclusion, and empowerment. This will be done in the three African countries of Niger, Nigeria, and Mozambique. These countries were chosen because of the excellent contacts in each, as well as their diverse range of experiences with leprosy and stigma toward people affected by leprosy.
The research is informed throughout by participatory methodologies. Two of the Country Project Coordinators have had leprosy and one is the son of parents who had the disease. Additional people affected by leprosy will be involved in the tailoring of the UN Principles and Guidelines into local socio-cultural contexts, in conducting the trainings, in developing our surveys and focus group methods, and in analyzing and disseminating the results of the study. Their involvement in all aspects of the project should have a further positive impact on their dignity, inclusion, and empowerment.
The findings will be presented in a number of venues including academic articles, professional conferences, a webinar with experts from other countries, and through individual reports for each country. In a second phase of this project it is expected that the trainings will be expanded to other regions in these three countries and to other countries.