The gender dimension of HIV and Aids

The gender dimension of HIV and Aids presents numerous challenges to the woman and girl child in Southern Africa, writes Grace Kamanga from Southern Africa Social Forum.

By Grace Kamanga

10. November 2005

It was a truly memorable and historic gathering where approximately 2000 men and women from all walks of life who included those from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa, gathered to participate and share on diverse issues and, one of the major topics tackled was the gender dimension of HIV and AIDS and the numerous challenges that it presents to the woman and girl child.

It came out clearly that generally women lack complete control over their lives because of tradition where they are taught to be submissive to men due to lack of empowerment. In the advent of hunger in Southern Africa  as has been experienced in the recent years 2001-2005 and possibly beyond, women either sell their daughters  in exchange for money or food, or the older women themselves submit to scrupulous men so that they in turn are given money or food and this is more common in the rural areas.

Several speakers were agreed that people were expecting the church to carry out civic education but the church was not playing that role as it is now caring for the sick and orphans, but felt that the message should be continuously given to the people. The effects of HIV and AIDS are impacting negatively on women and the girl child in many ways.

According to a Malawian delegate HIV and AIDS is the worst terrorist mankind has ever known. “While the governments and their nationals are busy strategizing on how to combat HIV and AIDS, the disease etiology is also fast changing and has become more complex.” Although men and women are vulnerable to infection and disease, HIV and AIDS affect these two sexes differently.

Early in the stages of the pandemic the pattern shows higher prevalence on men but as the disease progresses, women are more infected than men and adolescent sexuality is increasingly becoming an important concern remarked Veronica Chisempe, a nurse and social worker by profession as well as a human rights activist from Malawi. It is envisaged that by 2010 the death toll will be much higher than that of the two world wars combined. Care for the sick continues to be a responsibility of the women in society and since women are the major agricultural workers in Southern Africa, this has had a negative impact on food supply.

The mood was that of solidarity of a united force that is determined to fight this terrible pandemic. According to one of the participants from Zimbabwe, the women have to just fight for their rights and be confident that they are equally capable of becoming masters of their own destiny and above all be liberated. It clearly emerged from the discussions that there is need for social transformation of the mind that has been polluted by societal values.

Most delegates felt that the girl child should be given a chance in life although this has not been easy since most Governments in Southern Africa are run by men for the men and as such sidelining the women and the girl child. It was highlighted with sadness that although the women population in Africa stood at 52% while that of men was 48%, women are mainly not involved in decision making and leadership positions and as such are not able to advocate for active participation by women in gender related issues. Which are mainly viewed as trivial.

According to Mrs Mwajuma, a delegate from Tanzania, women have to claim their fundamental right to health and life and advocate for building of health systems that underpin the principles of equity. “As civil society we should demand adequate funding that is equitably distributed, demand abolition of unfair charges for health services to the poor, and no deal is better than a bad deal as it is the people’s dignity and welfare that matters” she said.

Her powerful statements were often intercepted by ululation, song and dance by the participants as a sign of approval. A presenter from Malawi mentioned that although advocacy has had a positive effect towards people’s attitudes what is really sad is that the behaviour of the people is not changing due to the fact that institutions that are supposed to be carrying out the advocacy work are changing focus to other areas such as accepting.

To me personally the Southern Africa Social Forum was a great eye opener. A lot of ideas and experiences were shared, recommendations were made and resolutions adopted. What now remains to be seen is how far these will be taken and implemented by our respective Governments and all those in power to ensure improved status of women and girls, living with or affected by the pandemic so that their rights to life are respected and dignity restored.

Thumbs up to MS-Zimbabwe in particular for the commendable support which contributed towards making it all possible in an effort to ensure that the segregation and marginalization which has placed women and girl children at the lowest rung of the social ladder is brought to an end through promoting poor people’s understanding of their circumstances and the inviolate value of each human life.