Fight the victim?

Today (December 8) the meeting focused on critical themes; food security, nutrition and HIV & AIDS. I have always appreciated how these important aspects are interlinked, and not understood why it has taken the world so long to ‘recognise’ it. Maybe they always have, and I know they did in fact, but the practices and interventions at the local level have been divorced from this fact.

A few years ago, HIV & AIDS programmers were convinced that young women in Africa engage in transactional sex in exchange for the three Cs; Cash, Cell phone and Chocolates, period! I have always thought this was a naïve argument to justify risk taking by young female adults in Southern Africa. I was in high school then, and when I went to college, I realized that indeed, transactional sex was rampant; young women would get into relationships with men much older than them. But it wasn’t for chocolates that they did, but for the most basic of things. Some needed money to sustain them through college i.e. college fees, transport, accommodation, food, sanitary wear etc. Due to the economic situation, parents would not cope with the demands from institutions of learning, but the young women were determined to complete their education because they believed that their achievements would help them rescue their own parents and siblings from the cycle of poverty. This remains a fact today.

So today, at the UNAIDS conference, experts took turns to explain how food security and nutrition support are an integral part of the response to HIV. I believe that the world already knows the answers, and all the preconditions for effective HIV responses. Adequate nutrition is certainly essential to maintain a person’s immune system, to sustain healthy levels of physical activity, and for quality of life.

The question is how ready are member states to address the root causes of vulnerabilities, i.e. among women and girls for example. I would give the example of sex workers. Just like school girls and students in tertiary institutions, sex workers are portrayed as greedy, reckless, lazy-money centered-whores who would put their lives at risk for the love of dollars. Just like that. So my government for example would from time to time ensure that there is an ‘operation Chipo chiroorwa’ which translates to ‘operation Chipo it’s time to leave the streets and get married’, that is targeted at ridding the streets of all the sex workers. Sex workers have been targeted as vectors of the disease (AIDS). The latest reports reveal that there is about 90% HIV prevalence amongst sex workers in Zimbabwe. And so it may seem right for government to launch this clampdown on sex workers. So yes, it’s not surprising when the Zimbabwe Republic Police tell you that in harassing the sex workers, they are simply doing their bit in ‘the fight against HIV’ more like ‘fumigation vector control’ in malaria programmes.

So the war has been wedged against women, mothers, sisters, and daughters who, as I have come to understand after a few months interacting with some sex workers on the streets of Harare, are trying to make ends meet. These women are human beings in the first place. They are women who are just trying to bring food to their tables, for their own children, siblings, parents, and for themselves. Zimbabwe has dollarized the economy, but still boasts an over 90% unemployment rate. Where does the food come from for those who do not have access to land because they are daughters, and women ‘traditionally’ who cannot inherit land? Where does the money to pay the rentals and other utility bills come from when no one in the household is gainfully employed? The women that try to sell tomatoes by the road side are harassed by the municipal police. The girls that walk the streets trying to sell eggs and vegetables risk being raped…still risking being exposed to HIV. And it’s sickening to try to compare the sentence that the men who stole a cow, with that of a child molester.
My point is, food security is an important determinant of health, both physical and mental; and where one’s system is compromised due to HIV infection, maintaining a good nutrition becomes even more important in reducing susceptibility to opportunistic infections. Women go on the streets to sell because they want food. With high unemployment rates, poor salaries, droughts, many families find themselves facing starvation. Sometimes they are doing it to raise school fees so that they educate their own, so that eventually, maybe, they can also escape the vicious cycle of poverty.

Our governments and all stakeholders should therefore stop fighting the women who are trying to feed their families, and ensure they address the root causes that lead women and girls to engage in risky behaviours.

• Fight unemployment, not the poor helpless women.
• Fight the poverty and stop harassing the women who are only victims of the state’s failure to deliver for its people.

A sister said at this meeting, where member states, civil society and the UN family alike, are well represented,

‘True leaders will not be remembered for the promises they made, but those they met’.

Show us the money

The amount of resources dedicated towards an agenda is inversely proportional to the priority which it is given, hence demonstrating commitment towards meeting set milestones. Today, just like yesterday, the following was reiterated during the UNAIDS board meeting: We are working towards: Zero new infections. Zero HIV related deaths. Zero stigma and discrimination. I believe these goals are achievable, and there is need for concerted effort by all stakeholders in achieving universal access to treatment and prevention for example.

I sat through the meeting wondering if all commitments being made would be met and how? Or is this going to turn out to be just yet another set of broken promises? HIV is a reality, and continues to wreck homes, villages, nations, and communities. Resources for HIV & AIDS seem to be dwindling, but we continue to make more promises. It seems the donors are using the global recession to justify cutbacks in HIV & AIDS funding, and backtracking on promises made.

I worry. I worry about how people are comfortable flashing slides that demonstrate how Africa, specifically, Southern Africa – (and mostly young women in Southern Africa), bear the most HIV/AIDS burden. But when it comes to committing resources, there is much reluctance. I see no graphs, there are no slides.

Why is it that only a small fraction of countries in Southern Africa {the hardest hit by HIV} will qualify for the Global Fund for HIV, TB & Malaria Round 10? Where will the money to support the rest of the countries come from? I think there are too many slides flashing around that people have ceased to realize that statistics don’t die… that it is actually human beings that die; our sisters, mothers, fathers, children, workers, leaders, etc. And even when they die, the suffering continues. So for example… an old woman whose five children succumb to AIDS and die, because they were not able to access ARVs, is stigmatized for having raised children of loose morals.

So in other words, stigma is with us until we reach universal access to treatment and prevention. And stigma breeds stress; one of the biggest killers. In case you didn’t know; it is stressful for an HIV positive person to watch hopelessly, somebody in the same situation as them waste away and die. I believe there is much strength and hope, and faith, and positivity {and many other good effects} in looking around and finding that an HIV positive person who lives in the same village as yourself {not someone on TV, in a book, or being paraded during a World AIDS Day launch- and made to give ‘testimonies’, and the Guest speaker once to be in as many pictures with them etc}, but someone you grew up with, and stays two houses away from you can actually lead normal lives, because they have timely access to comprehensive health services, food, and psychosocial support.

The UNAIDS strategy and operational framework holds the hope for hundreds of people in my village, those infected or affected with HIV. The expenditure cutting mechanisms {on staffing, travel costs, and other service costs} that UN agencies have committed to putting in place are good steps in the right direction, and all stakeholders should plan to cut down on service costs.

It is only when there is an indication and strides made towards financing these plans of Action that I can start dreaming about that day. That day when a Ministry of Health and Child Welfare vehicle shall arrive in my village; I can imagine the dance, ululation, song, drums, dance, as the children and women {and the few men recruited through ‘male-involvement-efforts’} hail and celebrate the arrival of the very first consignment of ARVs at the local clinic. And hopefully boxes and boxes of a speed test CD4 count instruments, one similar to the glycometre that the UNAIDS Executive Director, Mr. Sidibe showed the board yesterday. The Doctor {who is a woman} and the Sister-in-charge {a man}, are here, not for the hand over take over ceremony, but will be resident at our clinic for months, to run a training/orientation/ support course on how to run this one-stop-shop with the local nurses and nurse AIDS; on management and treatment of opportunistic infections, to enrolling people for treatment. And when the men realize it’s serious, they too shall join the dance in celebration.

The question is when shall this happen? Where is the money? I urge the UNAIDS Board not to postpone the TRIPS agenda, because the developing world needs the drugs. Women, girls, men, children, families, are counting on this gathering to keep the dream alive, and ensure that we do not postpone the TRIPS agenda, because manufacturing generic drugs is important in the journey towards achieving Universal Access.

In the mean time, {and most importantly}, our governments should continue to recognise the importance of creating environments, in-country, that does not exacerbate people’s vulnerabilities. For instance, it is critical to build a culture of respect and tolerance, and protection of all citizens regardless their gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality or any other status. The entry point is Law reform (and recognizing of course that laws are not self implementing).

I hope to continue to see improvements {by our own governments} in ensuring that women, girls, sex workers, and other vulnerable groups’ rights are protected from sexual violence and other forms of violence, so that we can maintain unfettered access to our full sexual and reproductive health and rights, in the context of HIV. This is an integral part of the commitment to combating HIV and AIDS among women.
I am also anxious to see how our governments will implement country plans, {beyond launching}, who will be involved in steering the processes and at what levels. Whilst donor support is still important, how do governments intend to scale up efforts to harness locally available resources in order to finance health, and to utilize these efficiently?

African governments can further demonstrate commitment by ensuring the development of expenditure tracking mechanisms, and ensuring that women’s groups are involved in tracking progress in this fight.

Indeed, Africa needs the money. For the sake of the women, the girls, the children, and all the other vulnerable groups, the world should not give up on us. Not just yet! In the mean time, I firmly believe, that the world has got enough resources to feed and heal us all, but not our greed and indulgence. Therefore all stakeholders have a duty to commit to utilize available resources efficiently and effectively, in delivering results.

Blogging for Rights at the UNAIDS Board Meeting

I learnt at an early age that Christianity and tradition were like fire and water, incompatible. So on Sundays the preachers and deacons at church would emphasize how those who were still clinging onto their traditional gab, spears, stones, ceremonies, names etc, ought to change them. For example, I grew up knowing that everything about traditional and culture practices (maybe except for lobola- the buying and selling of women’s bodies I feel it is in it’s current state- and can be improved as a practice, as long as the men are willing to share power/ or women are willing to fight for power- anyway this is debate for another time- ) were bad, and that my father for example, would burn in hell- the bottomless pit, because he occasionally gave people with snake bites, scorpion bites, tummy aches, head aches…some concoction made from herbs he dug up in the forest. He was a traditional healer. When I became older however, and HIV had been discovered, I started hearing a lot of talk about herbal treatment for positive living. Herbal gardens sprouted all over the village, and donors were pouring money towards that. Home based care groups were formed in church, groups that would be responsible for the herbal gardens, and demanded that only baptized church members would be allowed to join.

This is when I started to see some harmonization (progressive) between the church and tradition, {in the face of HIV and AIDS}.
I know I said earlier that the church and traditional were old enemies, and now, in the advent of HIV, we would witness a merging of ideas as a way of serving the ‘people’. But there is something that I have come to learn. That although these two institutions have for so long seemed to be almost incompatible, for the longest time, they have been fighting each other during the day, and sleeping together at night.

‘Culture’ and religion have both been used to keep women in subordinate positions, and to intimidate those that dare think outside the box, to instill fear and to silence the world into submission
I witnessed that this afternoon at the UNAIDS meeting. Religious fundamentalists basically do not agree on many things, but their ideas tend to converge in supporting patriarchal tendencies that promote hierarchical sexual relationships, sexual domination over, and in denying women control over their bodies and sexuality.

So, today, the UNAIDS strategy for the next five years almost came to a standstill because people want to moralise the debate on HIV and AIDS. So they will disregard the facts. That young people, sex workers and women in general for example are getting infected at alarming rates does not count for some leaders, because they feel they have a ‘moral’ responsibility to police and control people’s bodies, lives, and sexualities….everything. There is certainly a lot of surveillance that goes on, and one wonders where this strategy will get us, if member states who are signatory to a lot of agreements based on human rights principles (which are inalienable, indivisible, interdependent….), still can not endorse an evidence based paper like the strategy before us this afternoon. I am too scared what else can we expect on the ground.

I believe that the world does not necessarily have a deficit for policies and strategies to respond to the AIDS epidemic. What lacks is the political will from some governments; for leadership to set aside their self serving agendas, and choose to respect the rights of the human person, and take responsibility towards implementing evidence based interventions and not let religious and cultural fundamentalisms erode all gains made in the fight against the pandemic.

The key word here is political will. It’s one thing investing in HIV and AIDS interventions by way of providing financing for programming, and yet another to ensure that interventions developed at the local level is responsive to the situation on the ground. For example, I always ask myself why billions would be invested towards male circumcision and targeting 30 and 40 year old men (in my country at least), instead of responding to the issue of Violence against women, which tops the list in fueling the epidemic. Or even directing the scarce resources towards procuring ARVs so that that thousands of people needing ARVs treatment can access the life saving drugs.

It has been universally acknowledged that HIV/AIDS have a woman’s face, but it is disappointing that religious and traditional fundamentalisms that are rooted in patriarchy have come in the way and impede progress towards winning the fight against HIV & AIDS, because violence against women continues to spread like a veld fire, but governments continue in a business as usual mode. Law enforcement is poor, because agencies will cite culture and tradition, that domestic matters should only be solved amicably, citing customary law, which to me is just a set of beliefs and values which benefit men and disadvantage women and which are safeguarded to ensure the sexual slavery of women.

In the name of culture and religion, young girls are married off, and have to endure violent relationships {and it is no secret that where violence is, so is AIDS}. It is the poor, the marginalized groups like women, and sexual minorities who bear the brunt of patriarchal tendencies that promote hierarchical sexual relationships, sexual domination, and deny women control over their bodies and sexuality.

The time is now to ensure that governments who receive support can commit to addressing the critical issues increasing vulnerabilities. The time is now for the women of the world to just say no, enough is enough, and refuse to be represented by people that put their self serving ideas forward, ahead of the people’s real needs.

We refuse any more patronage. We demand that our voices be heard. We demand representation in these boards. It is the women and marginalized populations who are getting infected, and dying, and it is only they that can treat these matters with the urgency they deserve. Want value for money? Do not entrust our resources to elements that are perpetrators of violence, the same agents that fuel this epidemic…femicide…who will support the killing of women in the name of culture of religion. Value for money will be realized if affected groups are at the decision making table, in the field implementing and monitoring progress….every step of the way.

Introduction to Talent

My name is Talent Jumo and I work with the Young Women's Leadership Initiative (now Katswe Sistahood) based in Zimbabwe. Attending the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating meeting has been challenging and informative at the same time. Firstly, i am coming from a space where I have been asked so many questions if a young, black African woman from Southern Africa can really make an impact at the global level. I have been discouraged by those closest, but I believe that this struggle on HIV & AIDS is about me, my sister, my daughter and my mother, and hence when opportunities to sit at the table present, they should be embraced.

If I speak, my voice will be heard, better still, if I write, those that shall come after me shall read and sharpen their weapon to prepare further for this battle against women's oppression, HIV & AIDS, poverty, and other countless pathogies (both man-made and natural disasters).

I am not going to write about snow, which I am certainly experiencing for the first time, because that may not help my sisters that much (but maybe it may, if I inspire them enough to want to attend the next meeting). But I will dwell more on the deliberations of the day, as I experience them. The struggle continues for women and other marginalised groups. We surely will have to fight for our rights, for 'only the oppressed can free themselves from oppression, and in turn free their oppressors' {Paulo Freire- The Pedagogy of the Oppressed}

Talent Jumo
www.pepeta.org