120 likes | 252 Views
E N D
HIV – the (almost) missing link SRHR, Gender and HIV/AIDS – parallel session at the “Gender and SRHR at the heart of the MDGs” Conference, 8/9 November 2010Lydia Mungherera MD: Policy/Advocacy Officer, TASO; & Founding Director, Mama’s Club;Alice Welbourn PhD: Founding Director Salamander Trust; Author Stepping Stones
HIV and AIDS form an integral part of the landscape of SRHR and gender globally
IN AFRICA ALSO… • HIV and AIDS bear a female face • Cultural, social, economic status of women… • Community determines a girl’s and woman’s destiny • Men are seen just as the problem… • Huge access issues in rural areas: EOC etc…
HEALTH STAFF CRISIS • Lack of support for health staff with HIV… • Annual drop-outs (Shisana, Odetoyinbo et al) • Max. 10% HIV work-place-related(WHO) • Female health staff no PEP (LVCT Kenya) • Health staff 80% female (WHO) • Lack of WHO GRC acceptance of TREAT… • Lack of WHO awareness of HIV/SRH linkages for health staff…. • MMC investments….. (WHiPT)
Therefore….. • Entire public health service under strain because of lack of attention to comprehensive SRHR, gender and HIV linkages within the health care setting • Other female-staffed public sector services, eg education, equally affected by HIV • Without sufficient staff in place, with full access to integrated SRH & HIV care in their own right, no MDGs will be achieved
HIV and institutionalised violence • Violence in ANC settings • Coerced sterilisations (Namibia, PNG, Chile, Romania) • Avoidance of ANC or travelling out of area • Thus MDGs 4 and 5 undermined
CRIMINALISATION OF HIV TRANSMISSION • Increasing numbers of countries rolling this out • Including vertical transmission • 10 reasons why (ATHENA Network) • Increases fear of accessing health services • Undermines MDGs 3, 4, 5, and 6
RESOURCES….. • Active community responses but… • No grassroots resources, no support….. • Who is best placed to talk to a grassroots woman?
CONCLUSIONS • SRHR and gender should be viewed holistically with HIV, not with HIV as an add-on • Addressing HIV in relation to vertical transmission is the entry point to reaching MDGs 4 and 5 • Legal, medical, social, economic, educational and political dimensions all inter-related, not separate • Good programmes include those most affected at their core: eg Mama’s Club, From Pregnancy to Baby and Beyond, Stepping Stones, working with men..… • RESOURCES, RESOURCES, RESOURCES • The WHO should take the lead in upholding health workers’ SRH, HIV and related rights
CONCLUSIONS contd…... • PCB and Agenda for Accelerated Action on Women, Girls and Gender Equality • Cochrane Review on linking SRH/HIV • Sex worker rights, drug user rights, LGBT rights….. • Criminalisation issues • Violence HIV Violence • Sex-disaggregated data does NOT equal gender-disaggregated data • MIWA, MIWA, MIWA…..
USEFUL LINKS • Athena Network www.athenanetwork.org • Mama’s Club www.clubmamas.org • Salamander Trust www.salamandertrust.net • Stepping Stones www.steppingstonesfeedback.org • TASO www.taso.org • UNAIDS Agenda for Action www.unaids.org • WNZ 2010 resources: www.womeneurope.net