3rd meeting of young researchers at UP 1 - IJUP - Universidade do ...

Gender Politics and its relation to HIV/AIDS in Africa
Dina Guimarães 1 , Adriana R. Silva 2
1 Master in International Relations, University of Bristol, UK, NIPE - University of Minho, Portugal.
2 Master in Accounting, Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, Portugal, NIPE – University of
Minho, Portugal.
This paper will seek to show that the overwhelmingly heterosexual transmission of HIV/AIDS
allows us to perceive women’s inferior role in African society. Gender politics are an important
reason for explaining why women generally have a higher infection rate than men. African
countries are known for their patriarchical society, in the sense that traditionally and legally
women are discriminated in almost every aspect of their lives, making them have a lower
economical and social situation in relation to men. Issues such as poor governance,
homosexuality, drugs, bad health and educational infrastructures could all be seen as possible
reasons for high incidence rates in Africa.
The conclusions drawn in this paper were obtained through a thorough analysis and
comparison of several academic journals and books related to this area of interest.
The evidence found in this paper suggests that African women are biologically, economically,
politically and socially more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS than men. Despite the fact that there are
a growing number of women infected, they are still being denied access to effective preventive
and curative services by their benighted societies and traditions. 1
Several women are, however, seeking ways to change their situation through many grassroots
programmes, female representatives in the government and through information,
communication and educational programmes that seek to inform both men and women, helping
them to change their mentalities and help women to emancipate. Only recently has the issue of
gender discrimination in HIV/AIDS been discussed. This inadequate response is a reflection of
the male dominated societies in which they live in. It leads to the conclusion that the only
solution to the rising prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS among women, is a more economical,
social and political equality between genders in African States.
References:
[1] Doyal, Lesley (1994), “HIV and AIDS: Putting Women on the Global Agenda”, in Lesley Doyal,
Jennie Naidoo and Tamsin Wilton (eds) “AIDS: Setting a Feminist Agenda”, London: Pandora Press,
pp. 11-27
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