Women and girls` increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS - Essay Example

? Women and girls’ increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS al affiliation Women and girls’ increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDSThe concept of gender plays a major role in determining the type of health services one accesses. Gender relates to both the biological and sex related attributes in different individuals. A closer look at the concept of death globally, a great percentage of these deaths are related to the girl child and women in general. Studies indicate that, by the year 2030, the number of girls and women deaths will keep escalating with an alarming trend (David, et al., 2009). This trend is attributed to the fact that at most times; women are discriminated in terms of provision of quality health care. Most of these discrimination cases have a great correlation with the social and cultural factors. Among the major causes that bar women from accessing quality health care are inclusive of imbalance of power between men and women; in that men feel that they are better placed to be in position of power, norms in the society that reduce the chances of women being independent, constant violence- both emotional and physical on women- and finally, too much focus on the woman’s reproductive health over general concerns. These facts need to be well thought-out, so as to access quality healthcare to the women and girls. However, it is vital to note that poverty has played a great role in shaping the concept of gender and inequality to access opportunities by the female gender. Poverty has been credited for its endeavor to share the greatest percentage of its burden to the girl child, rendering them a slave to dependants of other persons, so as to acquire proper healthcare. The concept of women being regarded free by nature and being equal to men, with the same rights and privileges does not apply in the concept of provision of healthcare facilities. Studies indicate that about 60% of the deaths regarding HIV & AIDS are women and girls (Welbourn, 2008). Globally, the major causative agents of deaths among the female gender are the HIV &AIDS pandemic, a factor that calls for restructuring of policies and measures to curb the menace. These structures must be formulated in such a way that, women are empowered to claim their rights and positions in an attempt to realize the need to access proper healthcare to all persons. In an instance whereby the women are given an opportunity to fight for their right to proper medication, there is a great likelihood that the issue of vulnerability among the females and the girl child will be minimized at a higher level. This essay shall highlight the concept of women and girls’ vulnerability to HIV and AIDS and the rising percentages of the number of lives lost to HIV and AIDS pandemic. The essay shall take the feminist point of view that women and girls are at increased vulnerability to succumb to HIV and AIDS for the reason that they are ascribed to, societal roles that make it complicated to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS as will be discussed in the essay. Secondly, lack of education has been indicated to be the major cause of the girls and women acquiring HIV and AIDS, and finally, the imbalance of power between men and women that forces women to subjects of men. In the society, women are ascribed to various roles that make it complicated for them to be protected from HIV/AIDS. According to Bolton & Talman (2010) the ratio of HIV of men to women stands at 1: 3. With these facts, it is evident that in almost all parts of the world, an attempt to erase the traditional concept of the woman, as a subject, still proves to be an uphill task to the concerned stakeholders. Due to the responsibilities imposed on the women by the society, a greater percentage of them attest to the thought that they have not been granted an opportunity to take charge of their sexuality. Major cases of this fact are evident in Sub-Saharan Africa where women especially the illiterate are forced to remain uninformed on sexual matters. Their remaining passive creates a situation whereby, they are not sure how to deal with any issues regarding their sexuality. In fact, according to the investigations conducted by Bolton & Talman (2010) women are often encouraged to remain virgins as virginity, in history has been regarded as a virtue of a good and responsible woman. Such societal norms that require women to remain virgins and uninformed on their sexual reproductive health, create a situation whereby women are uninformed on how deal with cases, that relate to their sexual behavior. In this context, therefore, women are in no position to question on their sexual issues, as well as confine them to the thought that sex education is a taboo. It is devastating that some sections of women, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa- where the HIV/AIDS is high- argue that, not allowing young girls be conversant with their reproductive health puts them in a great chance of experimenting the act at a tender age! It is vital to note that, despite the impositions on sex education by the society, a great percentage of young girls and women suffer under the mercies of ignorance on their reproductive health. As a result, of the fear that they may be found not being virgins prior to their marriages, at times planned marriages, most women end up shifting to other alternatives, like anal and oral sex that puts them on risk of acquiring HIV (Schiff & Alters, 2011). The aspect of gender indifference comes in where the men are given priority regarding sexual matters. In this case, focus is not shed on men, but to demoralize the woman and impose rules on her ability to give their husbands sexual pleasure. In such scenarios, a woman does not have the right to bargain on what is good for her as well as have control over her reproductive system. Inability to fight for safe sex practices with her husband or other male counterparts leave her at a greater risk of acquiring the disease. This explains the reasons behind women engaging in non-vaginal sex, for the fear that they may be rejected if not found virgins. Indeed, it is justified, in this case, that men take charge of the sexuality of women. In order to reduce the impacts of women exposure to vulnerability that emanates from the societal norms, it is important that women participation in decision making is enhanced at all levels of society. This is the participation strategy that allows women take part in making decisions to aspects that concern them. This should begin from homes, to the community at large and finally on the global arena. Women must be mobilized to attend meetings that are of communal support and that educate them on the need to always be alert on the benefits of being aware of their reproductive health. In areas that are affected by high levels of the pandemic, women must be enlightened on the need to practice safe sex even in times when their husbands can hardly allow them take part in decisions regards to their reproductive health. In many contemporary societies in the globe, there exists an imbalance of power between men and women. Since time immemorial, men have been indicated to be in charge of modes of production in the society. This explains the fact that women are likely to rely on the men for economic dependency. In these situations, though women might be in an abusive relationship, they are forced to live with their husbands for fear of not being in a position to handle the present tough economic times. According to Welbourn (2008) economic instability is among the major challenges facing women in the global arena. In order to deal with their limited income, a great percentage of women have resulted to exchanging sexual favors for money. With the little money they get, they use it to access their basic needs, as well as those of their dependants. Welbourn (2008) indicates that sex has become a commodity that is manipulated by many women so as to survive in the society. Young girls have been indicated to go out with older men, who they perceive to have huge amounts of money. A great percentage of these men are married; thus, in case they are HIV/AIDS positive, they are likely to spread the disease to these young women and girls. Despite these women being aware of the risks they expose themselves to, they still opt to take part in transactional sex. Essex (2002) continues to argue that, most women are completely unable to negotiate for safe sex whilst conducting this kind of business. The clients claim to have paid for the service; thus, demand unprotected sex. Consequently, these women are exposed to a great risk of succumbing to the illness due to their desperate situation. Inability of women and girls to access healthcare has been credited to inaccessibility of the girls and women to proper healthcare. This emanates from the fact that, women have a lot of household issues to deal with, that do not allow them enjoy unlimited mobility. Just like discussed above, women live under the mercy of their husbands and majorities are into relationships for survival purposes. According to Kalipeni (2004) women have less funds that are not good enough to allow them access proper healthcare. Essex (2002) continues to argue that women are less likely to afford healthcare services, especially sexual and reproductive health that would be beneficial in tackling the issue of HIV/AIDS in the lives. Just like they are not in a position to access basic education, this interprets the kind of life they are expected to lead in future. Education is the key to all miseries in the world. Inability to access education for the girls means that they are in a high probability of leading miserable lives, devoid of proper access of basic services like proper healthcare since they cannot afford. Such instances create a situation whereby, the girls and women are uninformed about their sexual and reproductive health and are exposed to a great risk to acquiring the disease, due to ignorance. Poverty is also linked to the increase in HIV /AIDS infection among women and the young girls. Due to inadequate education, women cannot champion for their rights and bargain for proper healthcare services to them. Being housewives, they are more concerned with provision of basic requirements for their kids and have no time and resources of dealing with the healthcare services. In such households, the girls are reduced to performing household chores or conducting household activities that are bound to provide income generation over attending school. In the event, of women in the family succumbing to HIV/AIDS, the women and girls are sacrificed to take care of the ill members over attending schools. According to David et al (2009) it is such situations that create a cycle of poverty and misery among the members of the family especially the girls, who have no opportunity to advance in their life but are confined in the family setting misery and household duties that are aimed at contributing positively to the generating income for the family. On the other hand, women experience major challenges of succumbing to HIV/AIDS as a result of the violence imposed on them, such as rape, emotional abuse, and humiliation amongst others. With such vulnerabilities and inability of women to deal with such occurrences create a situation that women are not in a position to access proper healthcare. In relation to the aspect that women are ascribed to various roles that make it complicated for them to be protected from HIV/AIDS, carrying out education for the girl child and the women would be beneficial in dealing with vulnerability of women and girls succumbing to and HIV and AIDS. Lack of education has been indicated to be the major cause of the girls and women acquiring HIV and AIDS. Without education, this gender is not able to acquire information that protects them from the pandemic. Schools have been indicated to play the educative role in teaching the girls on how to deal with their productive health. This interprets the validity of the power strategies on women, in an endeavor to alleviate the situation of their being slaves to HIV and AIDS pandemic. Yet another strategy that would be useful in decreasing the vulnerability of women and girl’s exposure to HIV/AIDS includes changing the communication slogans presented as anti-HIV/AIDS. A great percentage of these messages are always directed to the females. A majority of these messages advocate for women to avoid sex before marriage, but seem not to caution men on the dangers on having casual sex (Kamen, 2000). The fact that women are pressured towards maintaining virginity and remaining chaste is an interpretation that it is the responsibility of women to prevent HIV/AIDS, yet it ought to be a collective responsibility. Such messages must be fashioned in such a way that they are not directed to women, but to the men as well. This can be summarized in Bolton & Talman’s (2010) work who indicate that due to societal roles, women have not been given the chance to take charge of their sexuality, an interpretation of the reasons behind women recording high ratios of HIV/AIDS unlike in the men. To deal with imbalance of power between men and women and prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS in this case, stringent feminist strategies have to put in place that relate to giving women power to making personal decisions. The women must be enlightened on the need to use female condoms in the event of their clients’ refusal to use the female condoms. Consistency and constancy on the use of these condoms must be emphasized to the women. With the access to female condoms, women would stand a better chance to be protected from HIV and AIDS, despite them not having power to negotiate on safe sex, since the female condoms are made to favor the women. Regardless of the fact, that it may be difficult to get cooperation from their male counterparts, women must be encouraged to take charge of their sexual life. An additional feministic strategy that is useful in curbing the vulnerability of women to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is by the emphasis of the use of anti-retroviral drugs that minimizes the chances of acquiring the pandemic, in the event of unprotected sex. This drug, known as Post exposure prophylaxis, may also be beneficial in case the raped women. Implementation of this strategy will minimize the chances that women are exposed to circumstances that will expose them to HIV/AIDS. The Post exposure prophylaxis drug will indeed save the lives of many young women, who would have otherwise succumbed to the deadly disease, in a situation of the absence of the drug. Feminists must also keep in touch with the development programs that aim at developing microbicides gel that is normally applied on the vagina, and has preventive mechanisms on HIV/AIDS virus. Invention of this gel would go a long way towards assuaging the situation. Welbourn’s (2008) work emphasizes on the discrimination of the female gender in terms of access to proper healthcare for HIV/AIDS. The work generally describes the manner in which women and girls are oppressed and marginalized. A great percentage of women are not fully aware of their rights in times of oppression of women. The work also emphasizes the power difference between men and women, and how men manipulate this fact to their advantage. Finally, the inability of women and girls to access healthcare has been credited to inaccessibility of the girls and women to proper healthcare can be solved by reduction of the vulnerabilities of women’s access to healthcare, through the government efforts. The government must ensure that; they devise measures that allow both genders have equal opportunities in terms of acquisition of health services, education so as they are able to deal with the repercussions of not being in apposition to provide for their own needs in terms of health. Such a situation will allow women have an opportunity to provide for their own needs and enlighten them on the possibilities of finding solutions to their predicaments. On a feminist point of view, the women must be in a position to devise measures of dealing with inequalities between men and women, as well as handle the violence that these women face under the wrath of men. An active form of civil society must be devised, whereby the people can air their views on the issue of violence and find solutions. Kalipeni (2004), David et al (2009) &Essex (2002) work indicate that, due to the tough economic times, many women are not able to depend on themselves which is interpreted on their inability to access proper healthcare. The works also indicate that young girls are alienated form their rights like the right to education that reduce their opportunity to get enlightened on their sexuality, creating a cycle of misfortune in their families. Conclusively, HIV/AIDS claims many people in the society with the women covering a great percentage of these deaths. It is vital that the vulnerabilities of women succumbing to HIV/AIDS are reduced based on the feminine strategies discussed above. Women must be enlightened on the importance of emancipating themselves from male domination and oppression; consequently reduce the chances that they may succumb to the pandemic. References Bolton, S. & Talman, A. (2010). Interactions between HIV/AIDS and the environment: a review of the evidence and recommendations for next steps New York: IUCN. David, et al. (2009).The changing HIV/AIDS landscape: selected papers for the World Bank's Agenda for Action in Africa, 2007-2011. London: World Bank Publications. Essex, M. (2002). AIDS in Africa. New York: Springer Publishers. Kalipeni, E. (2004). HIV and AIDS in Africa: Beyond epidemiology. New York: Wiley-Blackwell. Kamen, P. (2000). Her way: young women remake the sexual revolution. New York: NYU Press. Schiff, W. & Alters, S. (2011). Essential Concepts for Healthy Living Update. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Welbourn, A. (2008). HIV and AIDS. Working in gender & development. London: Oxfam Publishers. Read More