{"id":3213,"date":"2013-07-18T17:03:42","date_gmt":"2013-07-18T17:03:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.africlub.net\/awdf\/?p=3213"},"modified":"2013-07-18T17:03:42","modified_gmt":"2013-07-18T17:03:42","slug":"the-gendered-aspect-of-hiv-and-aids-an-update-by-prudence-mabele-from-the-xix-international-aids-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awdf.org\/OldSite\/the-gendered-aspect-of-hiv-and-aids-an-update-by-prudence-mabele-from-the-xix-international-aids-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gendered Aspect of HIV and AIDS: An update by Prudence Mabele from the XIX International AIDS conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

In July 2012, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) supported Prudence Mabele, Executive Director of the Positive Women’s Network in South Africa to attend the XIX International AIDS conference in Washington D.C. in the United States of America. Under AWDF’s Solidarity Fund <\/a>the organisation supports existing grantees partner to “…engage in activities which promote learning and the sharing of experiences on a local, national and international level”.<\/p>\n

Prior to the conference, Ms Mabele attended two pre conference events: a 2 day conference organised by the Global Network Of People Living with HIV and\u00a0NERELA’s pre conference organised by Religious leaders living with HIV.<\/p>\n

During the conference, Ms Mabele participated in a plenary session on the theme ‘Collaborating Across Borders to Advance the Health of Women’, where she used the personal story of a PWN member to illustrate the gendered aspect of HIV and AIDS.The story is shared in full below:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica Modise died at the young age of 35. She left behind two daughters, Nomsa (17) and Zodwa (15), as well as a four-year old granddaughter, Zintle.<\/p>\n

In 2005, Monica Modise was diagnosed HIV positive. It came to her as a shock. She was married to her husband, had been faithful in her marriage, and so had no reason to suspect that she would contract HIV. Her husband died in 2007 of AIDS related causes.<\/p>\n

Monica was not employed, nor did she have the right educational qualifications or skills for the employment market. With limited options to make a means, she moved with her two daughters into her parental home then headed by her older brother, Mandla.<\/p>\n

Moving back to her childhood home would prove to be a horrifying experience for Monica and her daughters. Unbeknownst to Monica, her brother, the uncle to her daughters had begun raping Nomsa on a regular basis. She was 13. She discovered this violation when Nomsa became pregnant. When Monica asked Nomsa why she had not told her about what was happening, Nomsa replied that her uncle had threatened to evict them from the home if she even thought of telling anyone. Monica was trapped. Without financial means, information, or support from other relatives or friends, she did not know where to go or who to turn to. They continued living with her brother, who now openly continued his criminal behaviour knowing that his sister had no alternatives.<\/p>\n

It was through a PWN door-to-door campaign that Monica learned about living with HIV, support groups, counselling sessions, information about health facilities and people who she could turn to. Monica started attending one of PWN\u2019s support groups and confided in the support group leader, who after hearing the story opened her home to Monica and her daughters.<\/p>\n

At last, they had a place of safety. Baby Zintle was born healthy and in a place of safety. She escaped the nightmare that her mother, aunt and grandmother had lived through.<\/p>\n

It was only in the place of safety that Monica could reflect and try to make sense of what had happened. She had lived in crisis management mode, never having a chance to examine her life on so many levels: discovering she is HIV positive, how to live with HIV, discovering her husband\u2019s deceit, mourning the death of her husband, being left destitute, having to move back to her childhood home, having to negotiate living with her brother, finding out her daughter has been sexually violated, finding out her daughter is having a child by her uncle, having to find a way out of her living situation \u2026 With her stipend from PWN, she was able to take care of some of her basic needs and regain some sense of independence.<\/p>\n

It took time for Monica to regain her strength and deal with depression, sadness, anger, disappointment, disillusionment, guilt and loss. Through the support groups and counselling, she built her strength to the point where she was able to report her own brother to the police and pursue the justice she and her daughters deserved. Upon hearing of the police case being filed, her brother fled their home and went to hide in the rural areas.<\/p>\n

Monica followed up on the police case with little success. There was no follow-through by the police, the case was eventually dropped without explanation.<\/p>\n

Monica became an active member of PWN. She campaigned, she counselled, she did all she could to provide women with the information she did not have access to. She often said that had she known what was out there in terms of support, she would not have made the decisions she had. But we encouraged her not to blame herself for what she did not know.<\/p>\n

Monica died in January 2012. It was too soon, but at least she was able to make a difference in the lives of her daughters and granddaughter.<\/p>\n

The South African Constitution is often mentioned as one of the best constitutions in the world for the rights it guarantees and protects its citizens. In terms of our policies, we can also be proud to have legislation that is progressive and seeks to serve the interest of all those who live in South Africa to the best of the nation\u2019s ability.<\/p>\n

However, it is unfortunate that with all the best policies and Constitutions in the world, when policy meets people it fails to live up to its promise. The story of Monica is one of many examples that demonstrate that somewhere we are missing the point.<\/p>\n

When we look at HIV\/AIDS through a gendered lens, then we can identify three main areas that cover the concerns that women and girls have to contend with:<\/p>\n

Gender inequality and poverty<\/p>\n

Rights to sexual autonomy and HIV<\/p>\n

Rights to bodily integrity and HIV<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Gender inequality and poverty<\/p>\n

\u2018Women\u2019s limited access to and control over assets and resources as well as the gender division of labour in the household increases their vulnerability to HIV and at the same time makes these conditions for women and girls living with HIV worse.\u2019<\/p>\n

In the case of Monica \u2013 and other women in her position<\/i><\/p>\n