African Women S Unique Vulnerabilities To Hiv Aids

This is an in-depth look at the biomedical, socio-cultural, economic, legal and political, and educational vulnerabilities faced by the population that is most vulnerable to the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS: African women.

This is an in-depth look at the biomedical, socio-cultural, economic, legal and political, and educational vulnerabilities faced by the population that is most vulnerable to the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS: African women.

This book examines HIV/AIDS vulnerabilities, impacts and responses in the socioeconomic and cultural context of Sub-Saharan Africa. With contributions from social scientists and public health experts, the volume identifies gender inequality and poverty as the main causes of the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa.

Throughout the world, the threat of HIV/AIDS to women’s health has become the focus of increased concern. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2004) reports that almost 20 million women and girls are living with HIV globally, accounting for nearly half of all people living with HIV worldwide. Infection rates among women are rising in every region worldwide including high-income countries in which heterosexual intercourse may now be the most common mode of transmission. Although there are many contributing factors to the current trends in HIV, most women who become HIV-infected do not practice "high-risk" behaviour. Women worldwide may individually view themselves as less susceptible than men, and may pay less attention about how HIV is transmitted and how to prevent infection. There are also gender inequalities, stemming from sexual double standards that constrain women’s access to care, treatment, and support. This work focuses on international perspectives on women and HIV casting a deliberately wide net addressing the issue of the interaction between HIV and gender in a specific geographic area. Our intention is to provide a forum for innovative manuscripts whose contribution to the literature is found in their unique approach to this interaction and application of empirical investigation to unique problems and/or populations. This material was published in the Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment.

"HIV and AIDS: Vulnerability of Women in Asia and Africa is a valuable advocacy tool for addressing the complex challenge of drawing attention to empower challenge of drawing attention to empower women to protect themselves and their families from the epidemic. This book focuses on the vulnerability of women in Asia and Africa to HIV/AIDS from various forces such as the wider social, cultural, economic and political factors. It takes a hard look at the risks of HIV/AIDS that affect women directly or indirectly through poverty, lack of education and livelihood opportunities, inhuman traditions, low social status, poor health care and lack of control over sexual relationships. The studies presented here on sexual behaviour change communication point to actions that can be strengthened and stepped up to arrest the spread of the epidemic."--BOOK JACKET.