 |
 |
|
|
| Search / Search Results | |||
|
|
||
| Long Summary | |
| Title | Danger and Opportunity: Responding to HIV with Vision |
| Author | Butcher, K. and Welbourn, A. |
| Publication Date | 2001 |
| Publisher | Oxfam |
| Long Summary | Humanity has been unable to meet the challenges
posed by HIV/AIDS these past twenty years. Most people working on
HIV have developed an ‘us and them’ approach, focusing mainly on prevention
work among groups of people who are viewed as ‘vulnerable groups’
and from whom workers think they can clearly distinguish themselves.
However, many individuals and groups who are infected with HIV, or
affected by HIV in other ways, have risen to the challenge. Some programmes
and projects have taken a much wider approach, putting the health
issues inherent in HIV within their social context. A number of projects
including the Working Women’s Project in Bradford, in the UK, have
looked at the importance of addressing the concerns identified by
those that have been viewed as vulnerable. Only by addressing and
recognising the issues fundamental to women’s lives were the project
workers in Bradford able to go on to work with them on the issues
of HIV prevention and improved sexual health. Because globally HIV
is such a threat to health and life, funding has become available
and a willingness to address sensitive issues, such as sexuality,
is increasingly evident. As well as the Working Women’s Project in Bradford, a few other projects/ programmes have viewed those with HIV or ’at risk’ as equal actors who can play a central role in responding positively to the challenge of HIV. The project focuses on care and support for those who have HIV/AIDS. Some groundbreaking strategies include: - Involving people living with HIV or AIDS - the NGO International Community of Women Living with HIV launched its own research project to study the needs and perspectives of other positive women. (See case studies and In Brief) - Engaging men in reflection of their traditional roles as gatekeepers as well as their own sexual and reproductive health needs- Instituto PROMUNDO in Brazil works with young men who question the acceptability of violence against women. (See case studies and In Brief) - Using a participatory approach- the Stepping Stones approach has been successfully adapted to suit local concerns around fertility protection, allaying fears about western inspired population control programmes. (See case studies) - Focusing on care as well as prevention - women often bear the brunt of care work when a family falls ill. In Cambodia, Khana, the Khmer HIV/ AIDS NGO Alliance, works with men to promote their role in providing care for the sick. (See case studies) - Working closely with traditional healers - in Uganda an innovative group of traditional healers and doctors formed THETA (Traditional and Modern Health Practitioners Together Against AIDS). Other initiatives have grown out of their work including the project THEWA (Traditional Healers, Women and AIDS Prevention) which developed a gender- sensitive, culturally appropriate strategy for educating and counselling people about HIV/AIDS. - Working with authorities - although not exclusively on the issue of HIV/ AIDS, Musasa in Zimbabwe have adopted strategies to change the attitudes of the authorities, and challenge the discriminatory rules and systems over which they have jurisdiction. Musasa worked with the police and judiciary to develop more sensitive ways of responding to survivors of domestic violence and rape. - Integrating HIV-awareness into all aspects of development work - the Department for International Development (DFID), UK, for example, has held workshops to update all workers’ understanding of HIV and AIDS and to help them work through issues which it raises in the workplace including their own vulnerability to HIV and issues of care and support for staff with HIV (see case studies).
These innovations and many more like them have given a greater appreciation of how to effectively address HIV/AIDS. Effectiveness can also be improved by incorporating the following: - Using a gender-aware response which addresses the strategic needs of women and the benefits to both women and men of more equitable access to and control of material goods and services. - Engaging local people in production of their own HIV communication materials, in order to ensure a local sense of local ownership of the changes they wish to see. - Developing responses to HIV/ AIDS not only in countries where HIV prevalence is already known to be high, but in countries with low prevalence, to keep it that way. This is in recognition of the links between poor sexual health and domestic violence, gender inequalities, and poverty, which are already prevalent in many countries. - Developing a multi-layered response to HIV/AIDS from the development
community, from bilateral agencies and civil society organisations
together both internationally and nationally. For example a multi-sectoral
response that fully addresses the diversity of causes and consequences
of HIV infection. |
           |