| Safer
Sex - Problems of Safer Sex Promotion
Political Problems - Empowering women
World-wide,
nearly half of all HIV infections are found in
women (48%, much higher in some parts of
Africa). In years past, these numbers were
much lower, but there are now increasing
quickly. Indeed, more and more women are
becoming infected at an earlier and earlier
age. One of the reasons for this growing “feminization
of AIDS” is the relative powerlessness of
women in much of the developing world. It is
all very well to preach the “prevention ABC”
(Abstinence, Being faithful, Condoms), but it
means nothing to women who have no say in
their sexual relations. Abstinence is not an
option where women cannot refuse the sexual
demands of men. Being faithful does not
protect women if men do not practice it, too.
Condoms are no help as long as women cannot
insist that men use them.
The only effective AIDS prevention in these circumstances is to raise the status of women, educating and empowering them so that they can reach an adequate level of sexual self-determination.
However, this means asking for
revolutionary changes in some countries
that are still bound by ancient
patriarchal traditions in religion,
custom, and law. On the other hand, it
is clear that these countries will court
disaster if they fail to carry out the
necessary changes and do it soon. There
will be millions of AIDS orphans with no
women to care for them, and where
farming is still mostly women’s work,
it will simply no longer be done,
leaving the survivors without sufficient
food.
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