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“Gender is a cross-cutting issue. It cuts through many different institutions and structures of society. Men and women, especially in the African context, are assigned particular roles within their families from a very early age. Influential structures such as the Church prescribe behaviours that are appropriate to gender, and many other institutions also play their role in the further reinforcement of such gender stereotypical, socially ascribed behaviours. It is often these socially accepted behaviours that place men and women in vulnerable positions, such as to become infected with, or to spread HIV. With the liberal notions of implementing gender equality through law, many women and men are still marginalised due to those socially ascribed roles. |
| Although different countries in Africa may differ in terms of the issues of gender they face, the concerns of gender are prevalent throughout the continent. For example, in numerous countries across the continent, sex trafficking is highly prevalent, while in others, female genital mutilation is a common practice. In some African countries female infants are raped, owing to a traditional belief that this practice can cure AIDS.
Due to the fact that women and children generally bear the brunt of poverty, they are often subjected to giving up their voices and their choices for safer sexual practices. Women and girls continue to face sexually ascribed behaviours that put them at risk of HIV infection, by responding to poverty by using their bodies as financial resources for example. Women and girls are often also faced with violence from family members and partners, placing them at further risk of STI infection and HIV exposure, and placing further pressure on them to conform to the gender stereotype set in front of them from childhood. In addition, many other interacting problems such as civil wars, political turbulence, misguided leadership, poor disorganisation, and globalisation, have led to the reinforced impact of gender issues on the continent, and have made it critical for gender issues to be a primary focus for policy development, scientific research and various other aspects related to the further advancement of the continent. Although women’s groups over the continent have sprung in response to the need for women to organise themselves, this has brought about many disconcerting issues between women and men. Much argument has revolved around the necessity of involving men in matters related to gender issues, if one is to deal thoroughly with these problems. This has added to the growing realisation that gender related issues can not be resolved with women as the sole focus, but rather working as partners with men, leading the way, in the hope that these gender gaps will be closed. In the same vain, it is just as important for those who are working in and with Africa to keep abreast of the progress, the successes, and the failures, so that the world can unite to tackle the many gender issues that exist within our society at large. HIV & AIDS Bulletin - Gender Issues in Africa is the ideal resource to assist, inform and empower, in the realm of gender issues. This report, which is published every second month, documents newsworthy events related to gender issues in Africa. The report comprehensively covers the continent, country by country, telling stories of those suffering from the effects of gender discrimination and violence, sharing the testimonies of men and women infected and affected by HIV, describing the triumphs of research and other work on gender issues, and acting as a vehicle for the promotion of gender equality.”
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