Eight Lives – United Nations Population Fund
From the website: “UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. This publication, Eight Lives: Stories of Reproductive Health, relates the tales of eight women who have endured the challenges of poor reproductive health.” The anthology includes stories about breaking the cycle of female genital mutilation, family planning, HIV prevention, sexual violence, becoming a teen mother, maternal health, midwifery, and obstetric fistulas. “Each story gives a voice and a face to those most affected by the failures of a dysfunctional health system — and by gender inequality, violation of their human rights, blatant disregard for their social and cultural circumstances, and abject poverty.” This source could be utilized in a class focused on global perspectives on reproductive and sexual health. Discussion could be focused on marginalized communities within the healthcare system as well as differences between healthcare systems across countries.