ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Challenging Gender Inequities in Programs, Policies and PEPFAR!

By Mimi Melles, August 8, 2008
Posted on aids2008.com

Ok, I’m back…that wasn’t too long--was it?

Now—of course, the feminista in me always comes out, especially at a conference where there are so many opportunities to learn about what experts are doing at the policy and programmatic level to address gender inequities.

Well, I can say right now that we cannot talk about HIV and AIDS without talking about gender equity. I haven’t been to a single workshop that can avoid the discussion of gender, whether it’s about harm reduction, circumcision, sex education… and the list goes on. Actually, I went to several sessions that focus on young women and girls and it was heartening to hear that experts on the ground are creating innovative interventions to particularly challenge gender and cultural norms as a strategy for HIV/AIDS prevention programs. What I have found interesting out of all of these discussions—through the Pre-Conference and Main Conference—is the inclusion of men, particularly heterosexual men, in all of this work. Yes, I can say that it’s hard to disregard the fact that there is a minority of men and not speculate: do they feel that it’s not their place when working in organizations for women’s rights? Do they feel that their active participation would perpetuate the patriarchal role that has marginalized women and placed them at vulnerable risks for HIV and AIDS?

Clearly, the HIV/AIDS movement isn’t perfect and we have a long way to go before we address these issues. However, as an activist, it’s always easy to look on the outside of what we’re trying to achieve in the short and long terms. What I have realized is that we need men (both young and older) in the movement to speak for women’s rights. So many men think of women’s rights as a battle that must be won by them—well, it’s not true at all! So, I’m pleased to see that leaders of the women’s rights movement realize that men need to be in the discussion, standing side by side, with women to really communicate how gender inequities are more visible and harmful than ever before.

Well, it’s rather evident that we can’t have healthy women without healthy men, especially when discussing sexuality. It’s also important to avoid framing gender as a woman versus man debate, as I have often heard in dialogues that focus on advocacy for access to equal resources for women. However, I’ve also been impressed by the many progressive, youth-led initiatives that are now realizing that not only do men need to be a part of the women’s rights movement, but they should also be reaching out to other men who feel oppressed by societal pressures to be “a man.” Such pressures, imposed at a young age, inevitably result in the ownership and decision-making of sexual health for men AND women—a dangerous and harmful ideology that has disproportionately affected women with HIV and AIDS. In addition, I think it is critical to recognize that the debate around gender issues must also be inclusive of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (GLBTQ) community. GLBTQ youth, in particular, have been pushed aside and even excluded from the discussion around gender as well as comprehensive HIV and AIDS prevention for youth generally.

In sum, there are so many factors as to why we must focus on women and girls in HIV and AIDS policies and programs worldwide: cross-generational sex with older men and early/child marriage; high rates of infection within marriage, compounded by an inability to negotiate safer sex practices; lack of educational and employment opportunities; high rates of gender-based violence, rape, and sexual coercion; an increase in reliance on commercial sex for income; lack of basic HIV prevention information and services, as well as lack of access to female-controlled prevention methods; high rates of other sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies; and overall lack of legal protection of the rights of women and girls. To counter these many factors, which have roots in social, cultural, economic and political factors, it is critical to take a holistic and inclusive approach, working in partnership with young men and older men, to break down harmful gender stereotypes and structures for the benefit of both young women and men, their parents, their grandparents, and the next generations to come.

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