AIDS: Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Gender Inequity

Johanna French, MCC staff and former SALT participant
August 16, 2006

In the many sessions that I have attended, issues of poverty have been brought up in relation to HIV/AIDS. It has been emphasized over and over again. And I just pray that the rhetoric will commit itself to action and everyone, all individuals (including myself), players, sectors, institutions, governments, civil societies will really deliver and push matters of poverty and global inequality in regards to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I hope people will put their wallet, efforts and actions where their mouth is!

From micro-economic to macro-economic policies, poverty reduction, job/employment creation , fair trade, debt relief, health infrastructure investment and grass-roots income generation projects – it seems that all these things put together are desperately needed by countries and communities ravaged by AIDS. Poverty can create or induce the beginning of a dangerous cycle for those living with HIV, and those that don’t have HIV, to inherit an increased risk of acquiring HIV.

People who are poorer are more vulnerable to becoming infected with HIV. They may have little education or means of livelihood. They may be tempted or forced to engage in risky sex for pocket profits. They may have little or no information about HIV/AIDS prevention. Or, as is the case for millions of women, they may be in circumstances in which they are vulnerable or dominated sexually. They may have no cultural, economic, land/inheritance rights, or any other kind of capital wealth. They may have little control over their bodies, families, or communities. Being in such an economically powerless position can make women much more vulnerable to HIV infection.

But it doesn’t just stop there. These scenarios can continue through cycles. Children and young teenagers lose their parents to AIDS and therefore drop out of school in an attempt to take care of their siblings. They can also become vulnerable to “bread-winning” prostitution.

And as the cycle turns, those who get HIV can become even more impoverished. Once they become sick, they may lose their jobs, face stigma and discrimination, run out of money for their children’s education, and be unable to buy or grow the food they need for a nutritious diet (essential for good ARV adherence). Agricultural production decreases for vulnerable infected families and communities. They then sell off all their valuable and productive assets because they need to pay for HIV/AIDS medical related services (testing and drugs). And the cycle just gets worse and more crippling. If they start ARVs and can’t get enough food to eat, they will die. And if their children are left parentless, what will become of them? They will lose their greatest resource, their fathers and mothers? Who can replace their parents to give them the love, care, support and livelihood skills that they need? This is our chronic burden and yet an opportunity to show love.

I attended a session on Thursday on the food security issue and HIV/AIDS. Women were stated to be the most vulnerable to HIV, biologically and socially in the viscous cycle of malnutrition and HIV. Stephen Lewis, panelists from the World Food Program and Renewal, and grass roots organizations working in Kenya and South Africa shared their research and opinions on the link between gender, food insecurity, and poverty. Robin Jackson from the World Food Program talked about the direct link between household wealth and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. This is a serious issue to which the international community needs to pay attention. We need to find ways to assist and empower local communities and groups to have the means to fight poverty at local levels and protect those are vulnerable. We also need to empower groups to become stronger advocates on the need for better integration of food security/nutritional support and HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

They also raised important issues about the need for communities to assist orphans and help them with life skills training. Paralegal assistance was also brought up as an important role for community groups and civil society, especially for women and children. Siphewe Hlophes from South Africa and Leonider Akeye from Kenya both started grassroots organizations addressing the issues of gender, food insecurity and prevention. They have taken a multi-faceted approach of integrating legal/rights protection, agricultural protection, child life-skills program, and home based care with nutritional support. All were having a positive effect on their communities.