How would you account to feminisation of HIV and AIDS in Africa

Essay by jacobchimhashuUniversity, Bachelor's April 2014

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Feminization of HIV and AIDS is perceived as the proportion of women infected with HIV and AIDS.I can mean that women have a higher prevalence of HIV and AIDS than men, HIV/AIDS is more severe in women than men and there is a trend to greater HIV infection among women than men. The female sub-population is more vulnerable to the pandemic in many biological and psychological susceptibility exist while socio-cultural, gender inequality, poverty, poor access to education, legal factors and economic disadvantages contribute to a disproportionate prevalence among women compared to men.

According to the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS (2004) the epidemiological statistics show that today women are more in danger to HIV than men for a variety of biological and social reasons. Vetten (2005) argues that African communities arguably, puts the blame on women and reinforces on patterns of stigma portraying them as either vectors or victims of HIV and AIDS.

This epidemic in Africa is exposing the deadly consequences of gender inequities which call for practical solutions to a problem which has catastrophic and ripple effects if no intervention takes place.

The UNAIDS (2004) report on the HIV/AIDS pandemic shows that women account for virtually half of all individuals living with HIV/AIDS globally. Africa has more or less 57% of all persons existing with HIV/AIDS being women and in the 15-24 age groups they account for 76% of all infections. This phenomenon of feminization of AIDS appears to be in full swing in Africa. The key question is what should be put in place to curtail or slow down the rate of infection among women. Booysen and Summerton (2002) agree that African leaders and governments should be ready to mount a wide-ranging and unrelenting information, education and communication campaign against risk-behaving practices of men that put...