Browsing by Author "Rodolo, P. N."

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    The effect of female poverty on HIV/AIDS prevalene in the rural community of the UGU-district
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008-03) Rodolo, P. N.; Qubuda, Thozamile; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Science. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS epidemic is a serious health and development problem in many countries, with South Africa amongst the countries that are hit hard by the epidemic and the impacts thereof. HIV/AIDS within Kwa-Zulu-Natal has always been higher than any other province in South Africa, with areas of higher HIV prevalence associated with major transport routes and areas of severe poverty (Susan Erskine 2005) A lot of studies and research has been done and the programs on advocacy, prevention and care are being implemented for the people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. We are now on the third decade of HIV/AIDS in South Africa, yet there are still the rural communities where the interventions have not reached. South Africa is marked with a lack of political will in its engagement on the fight against HIV/AIDS; this is evident in the stance that the government pulled against the roll out of ARV s, the controversial statements by the Minister of Health and the irresponsible statements by the policy makers. Some of the HIV/AIDS programs hardly reach the poor communities, even if they do, they sometimes do not address the underlying socio-cultural issues of the poor women. The HIV/AIDS programs that would make sense to the poor women in the rural communities are those that are linked with poverty alleviation, rural women empowerment and the issues of gender inequalities. The Department of Social Welfare and Department of Health have taken much effort in empowering the Home Community Based Care organizations within the rural communities, making them drop-in centers, but there is still a lot to be done. The HCBC s need to be capacitated on issues of governance to ensure sustainability of the programs. The study indicated that the underdevelopment, marginalization and the isolation of the poor communities form a barrier to interventions. There is a need for a pro-poor community programs that seek to address the issues of unemployment and the conditions of being unemployable amongst the rural poor women and assisting women to form cooperatives. The study supports the fact that certain types of human behaviors spread HIV/AIDS; therefore, the epidemic can be controlled by the changes in those behaviors (USAID 2001). The risky behaviors that were exposed by this study calls for a need to involve all sectors of society to promote interventions that reduce high risk sexual behavior, control and treat STI s and empower women as they are the most susceptible and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Community mobilization may be used to increase awareness among men of how HIV/AIDS can affect the lives of their daughters, wives, mothers and friends (Kim Rivers and Peter Aggleton, 1999). Heise and Elias, 1995, Ankrah and Attika, 1997 purports that other women have reported that suggesting condom use to a partner may be tantamount to accusing him of infidelity resulting in men being violent when safe sex is requested. The study has exposed the issue of gender inequalities as a factor that increases women’s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.