Today, we travel to Brazil to learn about the incredible journey of Aline Munezero, the Mozambican who has utilized her knowledge, research, passion, and skills to contribute to a world where women have access to information that enables them to understand their bodies, their rights, and make informed decisions based on science.
In an inspiring interview, our guest shares details about her life, academic and professional journey, and the plans she has for the future.
Mozavibe (M): Briefly, who is Aline?
Aline Munezero (AM): I'm Aline Munezero, I'm 28 years old, a doctor, Christian, I have a master's degree in Health Sciences and a doctorate in Obstetrics and Gynecology, from the State University of Campinas, in Brazil.
I consider myself a happy, resilient, persistent, determined and entrepreneurial girl. I am part of the group of African women who had the opportunity to attend higher education and postgraduate studies.
M: Tell us a bit about your academic journey and how you come to Brazil?
AM: During medical school, I had the opportunity to participate in an international exchange for 11 months at two of the best universities in Latin America, the University of São Paulo and the State University of Campinas. The exchange experience provided me with significant professional, academic, and cultural exposure. It also served as a catalyst to continue believing in my intellectual abilities and that, with faith in God, perseverance, strength, and will, it is possible to achieve any goal I set in my path. In this academic journey, I fell in love with maternal and perinatal health, and consequently, I decided to embrace this noble cause. Recognizing that embracing the purpose was not enough, I realized that I needed to have or acquire technical and scientific knowledge in the field of maternal and perinatal health and human rights to better serve in this area.
When I completed my undergraduate studies, I participated in a social program in the province of Nampula called Girl Move and graduated in CHANGE in the area of Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship. The program consisted of three modules: Leading the Self; Leading with Others; Transforming the World. The goal was to be part of the transformation towards a better world, especially for women and children, who are extremely vulnerable groups.
Similarly, looking at the reality of Mozambique, according to the latest Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2011, the highest infant mortality occurs in children born within intervals of less than 24 months, approximately 59 deaths per 1000 live births. It is estimated that a Mozambican woman with an average fertility rate has a 0.024 risk of dying due to obstetric causes throughout her reproductive life. During the analyzed period, the maternal mortality ratio was 408 deaths per maternal cause per 100,000 live births. I chose to apply for a Master's and Doctorate position in a Postgraduate program that aligns with my aspirations and one of the global public health demands, particularly in Mozambique - reducing maternal mortality and promoting a positive experience for women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. A Postgraduate program in Obstetrics and Gynecology at UNICAMP best suited the objectives I set. Therefore, I entered the master's program at this university and with the support (scholarship) from the WHO Hub for Latin America and Lusophone Africa - CEMICAMP, I completed the course on June 29, 2023, with the dissertation entitled "KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION OF VIOLATION OF LABOR RIGHTS DURING PREGNANCY: A CROSS-SECTIONAL AND MULTICENTER STUDY WITH BRAZILIAN PUERPERAL WOMEN" under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Renato Teixeira Souza and co-supervision of Prof. Dr. José Guilherme Cecatti. Subsequently, I entered the doctoral program in the same postgraduate program because I wanted to acquire more technical-scientific tools.
M: What is it like to be a Mozambican in Brazil? Do you feel that you have space to grow and develop your research?
AM: UNICAMP/BRAZIL is a fertile ground for growth and development in the research field; here, I see myself growing as a researcher.
M: Today, you dedicate your time to learning and teaching about gynecology and obstetrics. How do you become interested in such topics? A necessity or a passion?
AM: Currently, I dedicate my time to learning and sharing information about gynecology and obstetrics; I would say it is a combination of passion and necessity. I want to see a world where women know their bodies, understand their rights, and make informed decisions based on this knowledge or scientific foundation.
M: We have been following your work and your contribution to sharing information about sexual and reproductive health. How did the initiative to use social media to disseminate these subjects come about?
AM: When I joined the master's program, the idea of creating a health education page, "Medicinewithaline," emerged to help and share information, content on sexual and reproductive health, and a bit of my daily routine as a researcher. Also, to share safe and scientifically proven information, aiming to demystify topics related to sexual and reproductive health.
M: Do you believe that your message has reached your audience and generated the impact you desire?
AM: I believe that the information I share has reached many women; I have received several questions related to sexual and reproductive health. However, I see that there are still many gaps or a deficit of basic information. Among several, there was a message that impacted me a lot, "what was the hymen," because a girl of about 16 years old had no knowledge about the types of hymen, with internet access? This shows that our girls have not been given correct information; they do not know their own bodies. Despite the message being spread, I feel that we can do more for these girls and women.
M: Can you tell us about the application you want to develop?
AM: Linked to the social media page, during my master's degree, I had the idea of developing a health application using artificial intelligence to assist adolescents and women throughout the reproductive period. The application was conceived to connect women who often have difficulty accessing reliable information about their sexual and reproductive health, especially contraception. Through the application, we will address topics such as bodily changes in adolescence, prevention of sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, prevention of sexual violence, experiencing sexuality safely, and issues related to gender and sexuality. In Mozambican and African society in general, reproductive health topics are still considered taboo, causing some questions not to be raised or go unanswered. In our community, we will have the power to promote open discussions, eliminate stigmas, and help women receive support from people with diverse opinions. I would very much like to implement this project in Mozambique. I am unaware of initiatives or organizations that could finance such a project of this magnitude in Mozambique, but I have faith that one day I will fully implement it on home soil.
M: And to conclude: is there still room for Mozambique in your life?
AM: In conclusion, I would like to say that a good son always returns home, so there is still room for Mozambique in my life; all my relatives are there. I will return (laughs)!
By Cláudia Sainda
