Unit two
Recognising the Gender Dimensions of HIV
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Women in the HIV Epidemic
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Men:Women Globally 51%:49%
Men:Women in Sub Saharan Africa 41%:59%
Men 51%
Men 41%
Women 49%
Women 59%
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Young Men; Young Women globally 38%: 72%
Men 38% Women 72% 0
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Activity How can we explain the gender difference in these statistics for Southern Africa?
We know the three main routes of transmission for HIV are through sex, injecting drugs and transmission from mother to child. But …. What makes women vulnerable to HIV? What makes men vulnerable to HIV?
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Activity In groups of 3 List the factors that make women and men vulnerable to HIV infection
Men
Women
Circulate HAND OUT and compare your answers
Note the differences
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ntie Dear Au
Activity Work in pairs and read the letters.
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Stella...
Dear Aunti
HIV? going to give me Is my husband
Letter D
Should I do w
Should I have sex for money?
say? hat my friends
w this: I kno blem is together. My pro enjoy love very school. d year at so we can but I am ng boy in thir proper girlfriend ir girlfriends keep telli ear-old the a ak about My friends I am a 16-y but I would like s n they spe n look at them. s. many girl nds boast whe girl eve ’t ch can roa I to app All my frie s. Sometimes it easier I want a h girl I will find lonely. shy wit k alcohol I do? out and what can I feel left me if I drin so Dear and hol, nds alco Auntie Stella e girlfrie to drink nds hav ly want All my frie but I don’t real er have I’m wom an of 21 years I willanev girlfriend, old that ill for some and ting so time and passe I am six months pregn I am get parents. ant. d away recen id that tly. I have now My husband was I am afra moved back nd. to my a girlfrie When I regis tered at the maternity clinic testing progr amm the nurse told e and I agree Paul and the nurse me about an d to be teste said I was HIV d. I got the HIV positive, was really result the same upset but espec even thoug day hI her HIV. ially becau se of the baby. have not been sick. I I don’t want to give The nurse said they can give me a drug She also said something called Nevir about not breas But I was cryin apine to help the baby. g and I didn’ tfeeding my t really unde baby for a long time. rstand. So, Auntie, what can I do to help And since I my baby? Will have HIV, is she be it safe to breas tfeed the baby born already sick? Chipo ? tie Stella
Dear Aun
Will my baby have HIV ?
Replystoomte haedvliecteter with
e Stella...
and now in love But six e madly e We wer d, Alan. someon d was 22. only my husban seeing husban t life, he was tie Stella and my he wen else in my but I was sure was 19 Dear Aun r. Well, when I h anyone king behavio sex wit was wor him about his years ago had he er two said nev ried I He ask rage to I got mar beautiful baby. ing home late. Letter the cou ea got com hav lly ted . we star so I fina ting him ago he Dear Auntie A red of HIV me of not trus months Stella really sca used else. I am crazy and acc an just ely I am a 19 yearcomplet ting a womhe had a old girl in d been visi Malawi, want he had n admitte her because out ing Ala nd to do last O Levels this Then I fou away and at up with year. Both ets ld break stre my wou paren he two ts passed away He said some time girlfriend. ly loves me. ago until real with my grand and I stay with him he only mother. My s he t have sex uncle used I wouldn’ refused. He say to send mone n I said he y for my schoo But whe testing, w. l fees but last t for HIV t to kno year he lost he wen sn’t wan his job and now. I ely doe nth olut no one else can mo abs nearly a . He says nohelp me. I really want g on for hen do, I goin kitc n to can complete the bee school and sleep in what else This has do my exam make him d like this. But ified of getting s stly so I can get a mo e ban job, but I I am terr shouldn’t hav ts a hus cannot find him but sI one trea the money I still love se help – perhap for the fees. The Auntie? exams are him. Plea really expen HIV from young! sive. so married Do you think its okay for ine eph me to have can’t Jos think of any sex for mone other way y because place there I are many men to complete my educa tion? In this of this work who will pay . My friend for sex, but r does it told who men refuse I am afraid Lette to pay enou me that times the Egh and one man also beatsome her up. Please, Aunt ie, help me to Similo solve this probl em.
Is it better not to know?
Dear Auntie
Letter B
Stella
I’m 24 years old years. My wife with a son aged three died two years very sick and ago. She got some peop le suspected died from AIDS she although she tested. My was never famil but I’m fit and y say I should test for HIV strong and in a relationsh I feel fine. I’m ip not My main purpo so I’m not a risk to anyo ne. se in life now good fathe is to be a r to my son. I want him up to me. to look If I tested HIV positive I don’t would cope. know how What woul I d happen my What woul d he think? son? Maybe it’s to know? better not Tendai
Letter C
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Feedback some of your answers
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What did Auntie Stella
Say?
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Case Study Mother to Child transmission Í Hand out 2, Pair reading
What has been the impact of HIV on Tigist’s life?
What has been the impact of HIV on Tesfay’s life?
What should be done to support women living with HIV?
Call to action:
Through the last two units you have looked at the Human Rights issues that surround the HIV pandemic, stigma, discrimination, criminalisation and gender issues and have found yourself asking What can you do? Here are some suggestions from Trócaire.
Í Organise a presentation for your
school for World AIDS Day on 1 December to show solidarity with people around the world living with HIV.
Í Write to your local urban/county council to encourage to them organise a community event to mark Irish AIDS day on the 15th June.
Í Display the HIV Free campaign in your local library see http://www.flickr. com/photos/trocaire/6424117851/
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in/photostream. Contact Trócaire if you would like to do this and posters can be made available.
Í Read “Mind the Gap”, Trócaire’s paper on women’s vulnerability to HIV www.trocaire.org/HIV
Í Become a part of or start a global solidarity group in your school and brain storm your own ideas.