This weekend marked the closing of the first International Women's Summit on Women's Leadership and HIV and AIDS, which was held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The summit released a 10-point action plan that aims to foster leadership roles of women and girls in the battle against HIV/AIDS. Via Kaisernetwork.org :
The plan of action includes securing significant involvement of women in decision making processes; promoting equality and the human rights of girls and women; ensuring their sexual, physical and psychological safety and security; promoting their reproductive and sexual rights and health; and increasing their access to education, economic security and other resources, such as the right to own and inherit property. (Nation/AllAfrica.com, 7/9).
Other issues discussed at the summit were men's role in combatting HIV/AIDS and new technologies that could play a large role in prevention strategies, such as microbicides.
Sounds like it was a great gathering (of over 1,500, I might add); let's hope their results makes a real impact.
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This is exciting to me. It's great to see some progress in AIDS prevention and treatment in Africa as well steps being taken to protect women's security!
Involving women is essential for any of this to work. Honestly the risk to us men from not using protection when we are the ones penetrating (either men or women) is so low that most won't care. Selfish, assholish, irresponsible sure, but unfortunately that’s how many of us are.
I spent a little time handing out condoms in the townships of South Africa and speaking to kids about AIDS. All to often I would hand some condoms to a woman and she would either not take them or tell me that her partner would not use them. Many of the youth felt the same way. The men thought they were unmanly (or would make jokes about it not fitting) and would not wear them. The women did not understand that they have the right to demand them. Even then by demanding them they may wind up beaten, raped, or worse. Given the choice between immediate physical violence and the risk of a poorly understood disease most will choose the later.
The only way to combat AIDS (and lots of problems) is to work toward equality in society and more importantly in relationships were the actual decisions are being made. Changing men’s attitudes is a big part of this and so is strengthening women’s rights groups.
One way to help right now is to buy a light bulb from Wola Nani http://www.wolanani.co.za/ or http://www.greatergoodsa.co.za/shop/detail.jsp?product_id=2788 . Not only are they really cool to look at they are made by some of the most amazing people I have ever worked with. They are really doing a lot to empower women with AIDS to help themselves and their communities. Plus the light bulbs are a great conversation piece!