African Traditional Herbal Research Clinic STD's ... - Blackherbals.com

Continued from page 50 – African Women are more Venerable
to HIVS/AIDS
Increases the chances of HIV transmission and acquisition
by women. Furthermore, women in some African cultures
use herbs to tighten the vagina to remedy what they call
“dry sex” which causes tears in the genital tract during sex
and makes women more likely to transmit or acquire HIV.
Lastly forced or coerced sex, which is common but rarely
reported by women, increases the chances of HIV
transmission.
The roles of gender in HIV/Aids
Gender refers to differences in social roles and relations
between men and women. Gender roles are learned through
socialisation and vary widely amongest cultures. Gender
roles are also affected by age, class, race, ethnicity and
religion, as well as geographical, economic and political
environments. The gender dimensions that are relevant to
HIV and Aids include economic, legal, cultural, religious,
political and sexual status of women. Some of the gender
inequalities do not only increase vulnerability of women to
HIV and Aids but also become factors that fuel the spread
of the epidemic.
There is a multitude of socio-cultural factors that increase
vulnerability of women to HIV and Aids. The
subordination of African women creates vulnerability to
HIV infection through economic dependency, lack of
assets, and lack of protection against abuse and
exploitation. Most women in African societies are subjected
to discrimination right from their youth and denied access
to education and gainful employment. Women end up being
engaged in subsistence farming or low paying jobs.
Economic pressures lead women to engage in vices like sex
work and transactional sex. In urban settings, cohabitation
and temporary sexual relationships are common because
women need support for items like house rent and feeding.
Also, social construction of masculinity and femininity
renders women powerless to demand for their rights,
including not questioning infidelity of their husbands. The
patriarchal system in Africa affects women directly by
legitimisation of male dominance.
Effects of culture
In many African cultures there is tolerance for multiple
sexual partnerships, including extra-marital sex by men.
Marriage and monogamous relationships do not protect
women. Ironically, an unmarried woman will be more
protected than a married one because of the unfaithfulness
of men. There are common sayings such as, “Aids can meet
you in the bedroom,” “In polygamous societies, a man can
have many sexual partners but a woman has to be faithful
to one,” “A woman who has been paid a bride-price for is
even more vulnerable to HIV”.
Intergeneration sex is common in Africa. Young girls
have sex with older men (sugar daddies), for money, gifts
or status. Even culturally, women are found to marry men
who are much older than them and more sexually
experienced, thus exposing them to the risks of HIV.
There is a danger of young women seeking sexual
satisfaction outside marriage, thus exposing them to risks
of HIV.
Sexual violence is also common, including rape and
defilement. In some instances men who are infected with
HIV believe that a virgin can "cleanse" them of HIV. A
number of young girls have reported forceful initiation
into sex by older sexual partners. Sexual violence can
also occur at work places, even among educated women,
during job hiring, promotion and to avoid dismissal. Fear
of violence leads to acceptance of sex and lack of
protection. Orphans and domestic workers are also
sexually abused.
Way forward
Women in Africa need protection and this can be done by
addressing gender inequalities. Women need a fair share
of treatment. We need to address the root cause of HIV
transmission, protect the rights of girls and women and
target activities that improve the status of girls and
women by providing training, life skills and access to
work. Education opportunities should be provided to girls
to create awareness and increase HIV prevention
methods, delay and have choice in marriage, improve the
status of women in society and achievement of
autonomy. Poverty among women should be addressed
through including women in poverty eradication
programmes. Lastly, governments should institute
legislation to protect women’s rights, access to resources,
fair allocation of treatment, address violence and abuse
against women, enforce legislation against Female
Genital Mutilation and other actions to address the low
status of women.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Insight/-/688338/1013402/-
/qj6h8h/-/index.html
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Uganda
The number of new HIV/Aids infections has increased in the
last 8 months by 50,000 reported cases.
National prevalence of the disease has stagnated between 6
and 6.3 percent; the new figure is nearly half the 110,000 cases
captured last year.
New infections are mainly coming from married couples, sex
workers, fishing communities and long-distance truck drivers.
Most affected group falls under the age bracket of 25-49 years
and women are the most affected standing at 7.6 per cent.
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-51- Traditional African Clinic October 2011