Anirudha Alam



The conventional gender roles that underpin sexual inequality and violence are entrenched by dyed-in-the-wool social norms. So women are always in the vicious circle of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. It is an essential fact that gender-based violence is a key factor in increasing women’s risk of contracting the virus skyward.

Social discrimination engenders several factors associated with women’s subordinate position that it results in multidimensional likelihood of HIV infection. What’s more! Capitalizing on this discrimination, gender-based violence is the leading route of all vulnerabilities. Mostly these are the consequences of harmful traditional practices which put women at higher risk and socio-economic prejudices which undermine women’s life skills of protecting themselves.

A study executed by the Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV (APN+) identified some HIV-related issues in which women suffered extensively from higher levels of discrimination than man. The issues are related to being ridiculed and insulted, physically assaulted, removed from or asked to leave a public establishment, forced to change place of residence, excluded from social function, advised not to have a child after being diagnosed as HIV-positive and suffering exclusion by family members as well as losing financial support from family members. Another in-depth study in three African countries found that both of men and women are to be stigmatized become of breaking sexual norms. But the society led by exclusive male hegemony put the blame on women more easily.

The factors entwined with poverty, illiteracy, female genital mutilation, polygamy, wife inheritance, rape by intimate partners, early marriage, having multiple sex partners, minimal access to productive resources, forced sterilization, prostitution, sexual harassment and assault at work-places as well as different conflict situations make women face an epidemic of violence every day. It is realized that women are two to four times more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS during unprotect sexual intercourse than men. In various parts of the world, rape and sexual violence are supposed to be weapon of war. In view of that, gender-based violence is an all-too-common feature of coeval conflicts. It is used to attribute a moral code based on rigorously and thoroughly differentiated roles for male and female. For instance, women victimized by gender-based violence are among the casualties of the continuing internal conflict in Colombia on a great scale.

Realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is an essential element in a global response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic through preventing stigma and respective discrimination against people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Armed conflicts and natural disasters always add extra dimension to discrimination oriented violence. So role of cultural, family, ethical and religious factors should be gender sensitized internalizing right-based approach in combating endemic and ensuring treatment, care and support.

As per the findings of the research entitled ‘Role of Safe Sexual Practices Reduce Gender-based Violence’ conducted by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation in 2006, ABC - Abstain (from sexual intercourse), Be faithful (to one sexual partner) and use Condom) - approach has a great impact to protect the vulnerable women stigmatized often for their risky behavior. It has the potential comprehensively to contribute to protection from exposure to HIV/AIDS. This approach is the stepping stone to reducing gender based violence as a whole.

Bearing in mind empowering women is essential for reducing vulnerability, their social security and economic opportunities have to be ensured. Discrimination, unequal property and inheritance laws and petty access to knowledge confine women’s income-earning possibilities. Thus inequality between male and female thrives on enhancing the means of violence. This is why in the aspect of preventing HIV/AIDS, there is no alternative of making women self-reliance that they would be able to protect them from onslaught of discriminations and gender-based violence.

Anirudha Alam

Deputy Director

(Information & Development Communication)

BEES (Bangladesh Extension Education Services)

183, Lane 2, Eastern Road, New DOHS

Mohakhali, Dhaka 1206

Bangladesh.

Phone: 8801718342876, 88029889732, 88029889733 (office)

88028050514 (res.)

E-mail: anirudha.alam@gmail.com

info@bees-bd.org, bees@worldnetbd.net

Website: http://anirudha-alam.blogspot.com

Ref: UNAIDS, World Bank, UNFPA, UNESCO