According to a recent study “Gender impact of HIV/AIDS in India”, carried out by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the number of women living with HIV/AIDS is on the rise in the country and it has been found that in majority of the cases the disease was passed on by polygamous husbands. The findings show that women who are in monogamous relationships have been infected by husbands or partners who have multiple sex partners. The study—carried out by UNDP, National Aids Control Organization (NACO), and National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)—was conducted to assess the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS in the six high prevalence states of India viz Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland.
The above finding disturbing as it may sound is as much applicable to Nagaland and therefore it is all the more necessary for policy makers and NGOs working in the area of HIV/AIDS to incorporate preventive measures based on the findings. As rightly pointed out, the biological, socio-cultural and economic factors make women and young girls more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. It could also be that the HIV virus is more easily transmitted from men to women than from women to men. At the core of this disquieting finding, an issue that requires urgent attention is firstly, to ensure the active participation of men in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Secondly, the issue comes back to the general empowering of women or the lack of it in this case.
As far as addressing women related issues in the overall context of HIV/AIDS prevention goes, increasing their awareness level alone will not suffice but rather the overall status of women must improve. The most crucial aspect that needs to be addressed here is the priority that needs to be given for women’s education. Experience from Family Planning studies have found that a woman who is educated and involved in decision making often opt for contraception and thereby reducing the number of child she bears.
Whether it is Family Planning programs or HIV/AIDS, because of the patriarchal power structure prevalent, decision making in most cases is the sole prerogative of men, be it in the family or within a marriage. It is for this reason alone that any strategy to tackle HIV/AIDS must incorporate the active participation of men. Alternately it will also require bringing about attitudinal change aimed at discouraging risky behavior. Going by the finding of the UNDP study, men more than anyone else must be educated on the aspect of safe sex and responsible behavior. With no medical breakthrough available to cure AIDS, individual behavior and personal responsibility, based on knowledge, will be the best protection against AIDS and future epidemics.
It is also important to ensure that the three aspects of Information Education and Communication (IEC) are properly planned and delivered to the targeted segment at the right time and in the right way. It will mean even identifying various segments of the target audience in different districts of the State, overcoming the language barriers, socio-economic group differences, different age groups as well as between males and females. Only a well planned and professionally designed mass media material can achieve remarkable results in raising awareness, increasing knowledge, changing attitudes and social norms and changing behaviour, including the use of condoms.
