Gender Gap in the HIV Global Epidemic
JENNIFER JOHN BRITTO – Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is widely recognized as a global epidemic; however, the gender gap and inequalities are not addressed. Two thirds of people with HIV reside in Sub-Saharan Africa, where young women compromise 59% of the HIV population. Women deal with a multitude of intersecting factors that contribute to gender inequalities, including lack of access to education, sociocultural factors, and physiological vulnerability.
The gender gap issue centered around Sub-Saharan Africa illustrates this notion of intersectionality. Women in this region are not only disadvantaged by their sex but by their race, social status, job, marital status, etc. All of these factors determine whether a woman is able to get HIV tested, have access to treatment, and even have a choice in safe sex practices. For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa, less than one in three girls are enrolled in secondary school. Culturally, many families do not think a female’s education is important, but it is vital in being informed and making knowledgeable decisions. Higher education is linked to lower HIV, safer birth, and safer abortion. Furthermore, education promotes the use of safer sex practices like condoms, which decreases the transmission of HIV. Comprehensive sex education, which is lacking in many countries, is especially important as it can reduce unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
Additionally, the patriarchal nature of many portions of Sub-Saharan Africa contributes to partner violence after marriage and rape. Many times, women do not even have the option of consent and/or opportunity to practice safe sex. In addition, many females do not have financial security and autonomy, resulting in them being heavily economically dependent on men, so they do not have the right to their own healthcare and freedom to be tested as they wish. A study in the BMC Public Health Journal analyzing the socioecological factors that influence HIV risk in women found that a lack of financial security has been correlated with higher risk-taking behaviors, including lack of condom use and having multiple partners, which contributes to higher chances of contracting HIV. Besides, the AIDS Journal published studies that females have a higher chance in general of getting HIV due to the window of vulnerability in the menstrual cycle, 7-10 days after ovulation. The immune systems are suppressed in this time period to create optimal conditions for procreation, which makes the female reproductive tract an easy target for HIV infection.
The gender gap is an important part of the discussion regarding HIV among those in Sub-Saharan Africa as women in this region are especially disadvantaged. It is important to bring awareness to the value of education, specifically comprehensive sex education, in this area. Similarly, creating a more comprehensive sex education syllabus, where safe sex practices are explicitly explained, would be helpful. Also, involving women in the decision-making process in the UN and for government legislation will provide more insight on the gender gap and assist in creating solutions that better suit the needs of women.
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