Realising the right of access to maternal health care services for refugee women in South Africa.
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Abstract
South Africa hosts a large population of refugees from Africa and beyond. These refugees
come to the country with their different needs. Some of the needs are gender-specific and
require the realisation of specific human rights for them to be met. Refugee women require
maternal health care services. South Africa has a number of policies and legislation aimed
at protecting the rights of refugees, women, as well as the right to health. Furthermore,
South Africa is a signatory of various human rights instruments relating to (amongst other
things), refugee women and health care. Regardless of the international instruments,
legislation and policies in place, there still exists a gap between policy and practice which
makes it difficult for refugee women to access maternal health care services. Through the
use of various literature, this thesis provides a discussion on the components of health care
and defines what access to maternal health care is. It exposes the barriers faced by refugee
women in South Africa’s public health care system. The thesis provides an analysis of the
numerous human rights instruments relating to refugees, health and women. It scrutinises
South African domestic policies and legislation relating to maternal health care services.
Landmark cases on the access to maternal health care services and other socio-economic
rights are discussed in the thesis. In the final chapter, recommendations are made on how
the maternal health care services for refugee women may be fully realised.
Description
LL.M. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.
Keywords
Refugees -- Medical care -- South Africa., Maternal health services -- South Africa., Right to health -- South Africa., Theses -- Law.