By Josephine Koigi:
She is the mother of all humans. Woman. Somehow she is always on the
opposite side. The unwanted side. She carries the heaviest burden. And like
a magnet, problems get attracted to her side.
A study by Population Services International Tanzania (PSI) revealed that
women are at a more risk of contracting HIV/AIDS more than their male
counterparts. The released statistics leaves one with more questions than
answers.
The study shows that a larger percentage of men (39%) had two or more
partners in the past 12 months as compared to a lesser percentage of
females (22%) during the same period. Yet the women are at a greater risk.
No only are women at more risk of this deadly virus, they also die faster
and in larger numbers than their male counterparts.
There are several reasons as to why many women are at the risk of this
deadly disease. Look at our very households. The man of the house, might
have an eye on the female house help. The girl, he thinks, is always
in-doors, well kept, fresh and youthful. No, she cannot be infected, he
thinks. When he lures her into having sex with him, protective measures are
nowhere near his mind.
If it happens that the man is infected, this puts the house help at that
risk. Another group is the schoolgirls. These girls want to wear nice
clothes, have mobile phones, have jewellery and here comes a man who can
offer all these.
He does not look bothered by protection. The young school girl not wanting
to risk to loosing all that is promised agrees to have sex without
protection. Do we blame it on the greed of the girls or insatiable greed
for young blood of young girls by men or lack of morals?
Marriage is also not a protection for a woman against HIV/AIDS. While a
woman’s infidelity is heavily criticized and frowned at, the male
extramarital affairs and use of sex workers is seen as normal or to be
expected. Most men go by their self-founded cliché that after several
consumption of the same kind of stew, a time comes when it is no longer
palatable. If one is used to some kind of vegetables like Kale with Ugali
for dinner everyday, it is refreshing to eat Ugali with liver at times.
This, according to me should be left to food and the taste buds.
Unfortunately, this is not so. Extramarital affairs are not new to our
society. Most men contract HIV/Aids outside their marital beds and when
back at home, they knowingly have intercourse with their wives without
protection.
After all she is my wife, why should I use protection, the man says.
By remaining faithful to her husband it will not help a woman stay safe
from HIV/Aids as he will come and infect her.
Violence against women, in particular rape puts woman at a great risk of
getting the HIV/AIDS. Some of the rapists are usually infected. I tend to
think these are insane men who have no time to think about either theirs or
the victim’s health status. Sexual violence against women has become very
common all over the world.
In some parts of Africa there is a belief that having sex with a virgin
provides ‘cure’ for AIDs. In our very own country we have heard of men who
have raped very old women for financial prosperity. This puts the virgins
and the old ladies at risk as these men could be HIV Positive.
Women especially those with children are in desperate need of money to feed
their families. Poverty is the most common cause of prostitution. Many
women, some who have been widowed by AIDS cannot insist that their partners
use condoms.
Not only do they put their customers at the risk of HIV but these customers
can pass the virus to their families. Most female sex workers have no or
limited access to health care services and where there is access there may
be lack of finances or transportation to go and get these services.
Feminism has been on the discussion board for decades now, but in most
parts especially in Africa, the impact has not been felt. There is a lot of
inequality between men and women in many aspects ranging from employment
opportunities, availability of education and a woman’s place in
relationships.
On average, women, including the young, are more at risk of getting the HIV
virus because they find it hard to talk to their partners about safe sex
especially the use of a condom.
Many still believe that it is the norm for women to be entirely submissive
in relationship and to rely entirely on the man. Such women find themselves
vulnerable to abusive or harmful relationships, many have been forces to
harmful sexual practices but they dare not leave due to dependency.
Until a complete cure is found of this deadly disease women and children
will continue to die in large numbers by the day. Preventive therapies have
come to help prolong life but how many women have access to this kind of
health services?
I commend most financial institutions for offering soft loans to women so
as to kick out poverty. This will reduce prostitution. Most women will now
become independent and be able to take care of their children and families.
I couldn’t help applauding a certain Member of Parliament who recently said
that those men who lure schoolgirls into having sex with them should be
castrated. That is a plus. Those who practice violence toward women should
be slapped with longer jail terms with hard labour to teach a lesson their
counterparts.
Upon determining that their partner is having sex with other persons, women
should be adamant and insist on the use of condoms. Avoiding sex is the
only way to keep away from getting HIV/AIDs. Tell these to many and they
will think you are mad. For those who cannot avoid sex, they should adhere
to ABC preventive measures. The female condom that is rarely talked about,
if made cheaper and available, it would play a big part in reducing a
woman’s risk in getting HIV/AIDS.