HIV

1. HIV/AIDS and gender mainstreaming in conflict resolution in Africa, Presentation to: Regional Conference on: “The Role of Trade Unions on Regional Integration and Conflict Resolution in Africa” NCEW Conference Hall, Asmara, Eritrea 24-28 March 2008

2. Outline of presentation Definition of Gender What is "gender mainstreaming"? How is conflict defined? Consequences of conflict HIV and AIDS in emergency & conflict settings: challenges and problems Who is vulnerable to HIV in emergencies or conflict Situations? Role of women in conflict resolution What should be done? References

3. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles ascribed to males and females that are: learned, changeable over time, Vary widely within and across cultures. “Gender” determines the roles, responsibilities, opportunities, privileges, expectations, and limitations for males and for females in any culture.

4. What is "gender mainstreaming"? Gender mainstreaming (in any area and at all levels) perspective is the process of assessing the implications for women and men in any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes. Must consider gender from the beginning. it is not enough simply to "add in” a gender component late in a given project’s development. A strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well as men an integral part of design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and social spheres, Gender is thus not something that can be consigned to “watchdogs” in a single office

5. How is conflict defined? It is a serious disagreement or argument, a prolonged armed struggle, an incompatibility between opinions, principles, etc due to political, religious, cultural and/or ethnic persecution

6. Conflict may be said to have the following stages: Run-up to conflict (pre-conflict) The conflict itself Peace process (or conflict resolution) Reconstruction and reintegration (or post-conflict)

7. Consequences of conflict(1) Men are most often the ones who are conscripted and therefore killed or injured during battle. Women, however, are the main victims of war. This is either directly as fatalities and casualties or indirectly through the breakdown of family and community structures

8. Consequences of conflict(2) Exacerbation of gender inequalities during periods of armed conflict and continue during post-conflict reconstruction. Both women and men suffer war abuses and traumas, disruptions and loss of resources. The impact is experienced in different ways and women are often disproportionately affected.

9. Consequences of conflict(3) Forced displacement: violation of human, economic, political and social rights and of the failure to comply with international humanitarian laws People have often been uprooted from their homelands due to political, religious, cultural and/or ethnic persecution during conflict.

10. Consequences of conflict(4) Gender-based violence (GBV) Physical and sexual violence, particularly against women, continues to be a well-documented feature of armed conflict. Increase of incidences of ‘everyday’ violence, increase as communities break down during and after conflicts “Rape as a weapon of war - A weapon of war shrouded in silence”

11. Consequences of conflict(5) Men are also the indirect targets of violence against women. The rape of women has long been considered a public act of aggression, where raping and ‘dishonouring’ women is a way of ‘violating and demoralizing men’

12. Consequences of conflict(6) No small sacrifice: Sex work and armed conflict A wife had to sacrifice herself, the marital contract, everything, to save the family, yet the men are not grateful … think of the wife as trash, a prostitute … Family breaks – women and children affected

13. Consequences of conflict(7) Tortured for ‘betraying her womanhood’ Women conscripted in the army are considered ‘traitors to womanhood’, as they conceived of that. that war is a man’s business, or fighting against war is something for men alone to be involved in ... ‘a fighter is not a good wife’

14. Consequences of conflict(8) HIV/AIDS: A growing epidemic in the midst of armed conflict Reduce social stability/ support Overwhelm or destroy essential public services Reduce household and community resources Increase personal insecurity and risk of sexual assault. Disruption and displacement caused by conflict: leads to an increase in the rate of sexual abuse (e.g. by armed forces), decreased access to blood screening facilities sexual favors often demanded in exchange for food, which led to an increase in the number of women’s sexual partners – Fueling the epidemic.

15. HIV and AIDS in emergency & conflict settings: challenges and problems Collapsed/inadequate health and public services. Limited financial, social & economic resources. Lack of information (on infection levels, trends, target populations, ...). Special situations of emergency-affected populations (access, security, language, culture, stigma..) Institutional and human resource constraints.

16. Who is vulnerable to HIV in emergencies or conflict Situations? Everyone is vulnerable to HIV Groups that are vulnerable: women, children, the poor, mobile populations, injured people Other groups at risk of HIV infection include: The armed forces, police, humanitarian workers, truck drivers.

17. This slide specifically focuses on how HIV/AIDS contributes to conflict-affected populations. In conflict emergencies, HIV/AIDS is a very important consideration. This slide shows how a conflict emergency can increase the spread of HIV/AIDS. Let’s say that a part of a population affected by conflict in the large red circle becomes displaced (use a pointer or cursor to point to the circle). Some of those fleeing are displaced internally (IDPs) while others cross the border and become refugees (point to the red IDP and then the red Refugee circles). They interact with host communities with higher HIV infection rates, as well as other groups with high infection rates (ie armed forces, peace-keepers, sex workers). (Point to the blue host community circles and the black text on the right hand side of the slide) When they return, it is possible this group may have increased their level of HIV infection compared to those who were not displaced. This will have an impact on the overall infection rate of the conflict-affected population (point to the large blue and green arrows, then the red circle again). It is also possible that the displaced population may have lower levels of HIV infection as a result of their displacement, having been sheilded from the risk of sexual violence and other high risk activities associated with war. ? Invite comments on this – asking the participants to reflect on past experiences assisting conflict affected populations and whether conflict might have increased or decreased the transmission risk of HIV. This slide specifically focuses on how HIV/AIDS contributes to conflict-affected populations. In conflict emergencies, HIV/AIDS is a very important consideration. This slide shows how a conflict emergency can increase the spread of HIV/AIDS. Let’s say that a part of a population affected by conflict in the large red circle becomes displaced (use a pointer or cursor to point to the circle). Some of those fleeing are displaced internally (IDPs) while others cross the border and become refugees (point to the red IDP and then the red Refugee circles). They interact with host communities with higher HIV infection rates, as well as other groups with high infection rates (ie armed forces, peace-keepers, sex workers). (Point to the blue host community circles and the black text on the right hand side of the slide) When they return, it is possible this group may have increased their level of HIV infection compared to those who were not displaced. This will have an impact on the overall infection rate of the conflict-affected population (point to the large blue and green arrows, then the red circle again). It is also possible that the displaced population may have lower levels of HIV infection as a result of their displacement, having been sheilded from the risk of sexual violence and other high risk activities associated with war. ? Invite comments on this – asking the participants to reflect on past experiences assisting conflict affected populations and whether conflict might have increased or decreased the transmission risk of HIV.

18. Role of women in conflict resolution Peacekeeping and peace-building Generally, women are thought to be lacking in expertise to function in the public arena and are excluded, under-represented in political activities, such as formal peace negotiations, mediation and diplomacy. Peacekeeping refers to a UN military and civilian presence … ‘Man’s role’ Peace-building includes building legal and human rights institutions as well as fair and effective governance and dispute-resolution processes and systems. ‘Woman’s role’ This view is biased: Women are also active as peacekeepers in the military and men are part of peace-building activities

19. What should be done? (1) The escalation of all types of physical and sexual GBV during and after armed conflict must be addressed: More funding should be made available to research and document the impact of all forms of GBV – including imprisonment, torture, rape, sexual slavery and forced sex work – on women, men and gender relations. Health care needs Demobilization and re-integration

20. What should be done? (2) International institutions and governments: must recognize impacts of armed conflict: forced displacement, impoverishment and GBV as violations of human rights and not as private or cultural concerns, or merely inevitable outcomes of war. must also recognize, implement and enforce laws and commitments that recognize gender issues as important & legitimate

21. What should be done? (3) Peacekeepers must receive tailored gender training in order to promote healthier relationships and establish trust with local communities. mechanisms required to address both the threat and the occurrence of sexual and physical violence associated with peacekeepers All staff and volunteers deployed in conflict and post-conflict interventions must be trained to understand and manage the gendered implications of post-conflict reconstruction in the social, political, economic, religious and cultural contexts in which they are operating.

22. What should be done? (4) Capacity building for women: Need to be trained in how to identify and address gender concerns. Capacity building for MEN: Need to be trained in how to identify and address gender concerns.

23. References Integration of Gender Issues in Selected HIV/AIDS Projects in the Africa Region a baseline assessment, The World Bank, 2004 Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings, IASC, September 2005 Guidelines for HIV/AIDS Interventions in Emergency settings, IASC, Assessing Gender Equality and Equity as Critical Elements in National Responses to HIV: Cambodia, Honduras and Ukraine; 20th Meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board Geneva, Switzerland, 25-27 June 2007 Gender & Armed Conflict Overview Report, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, Amani El Jack, 2003 Gender and AIDS Almanac, UNAIDS, 2000

24. Thank you