Intersections of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Conflict: Governing of the Reproductive Body

Introduction: This thesis analyses dimensions of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) as a means to understand aspects of conflict and post-conflict dynamics. Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are utilised as cases to examine these intersections. Gender analyses, including aspects, such as how gender impacts health, how SRH medical practices are gendered, and what this reveals about how gender is structured within a conflict-affected society, are examined. Furthermore, concepts of the body and embodiment, or connections between body and culture, and the 'governing' of bodies, i.e., utilising a Foucauldian approach to examine power relationships within society through SRH methods or practices, all form the theoretical framework for this analysis. Purpose: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) related topics, mainly sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) frequently features within conflict literature and analyst's reports but are often framed as a consequence of conflict, i.e. in looking at how conflict negatively impacts health and healthcare access and not as a fluid process where conceptions of the reproductive body may play a role within conflict dynamics. The purpose of this thesis is to explore SRH as a means for providing insight into these conflict dynamics, while at the same time highlighting some potential negative consequences of SRH-related policies and practices in conflict-affected states. Methods: Primary data were obtained through semi-structured interviews conducted in Burundi and the DRC from May 2011 through May 2012. Secondary data included materials obtained in the field or online, such as reports, pamphlets, charts, as well as from attending an international symposium at the University of Western Cape in South Africa in March 2011. Finally, literature was collected from three libraries in Belgium, Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), as well as through online journals provided by the University of Kent. Scope: The scope of this research is located within three overarching concepts of 1) Sexual and reproductive health 2) Intersections with conflict 3) Conceptualisations of the body. Utilising gender analyses and Foucault's governmentality lenses, this research explores SRH within the context of conflict, posing the questions: How is SRH governed in this context? Are SRH approaches improving concflict/post-conflict dynamics and gender inequalities or exacerbating them? Are conceptions of the sexual and reproductive body an integral component of consideration in conflict analysis (how and why)? In summary this thesis will explore how SRH or looking at how sexual and reproductive healthcare-related approaches may inform on the conflict and post-conflict dynamics.