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Tackling HIV and AIDS with faith-based communities: learning from attitudes on gender relations and sexual rights within local evangelical churches in Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
JOURNAL: Gender & Development
VOLUME: 14 ISSUE: 3
THEME: Working with Faith-Based Communities
Abstract |
AUTHOR:
Mandy Marshall Nigel Taylor
EDITED BY:
Kate Greany
ISSN: 1355-2074 E-ISSN: 1364-9221
STOCK CODE: 002J1186
AVAILABILITY:
Available online only
PUBLISHER: Routledge
FORMAT:
Downloadable PDF
(pp: 12)
PUBLISHED:
Nov 2006
READERSHIP:
Activists and Campaigners, Postgraduate, Undergraduate, Professional and Practitioners,
Read this article online (PDF file)
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ABSTRACT
The AIDS pandemic in Africa is devastating the continent. The institution of marriage does not appear to be protecting women - in some countries rates of infection among married women are higher than those among unmarried, sexually active women. Recognising that unequal gender relations are a driving force behind the AIDS pandemic, this article explores the position of local evangelical churches in Africa with respect to gender relations and sex, and the implications for HIV and AIDS. Based on desk and field research carried out by the UK-based NGO Tearfund, the findings indicate that these churches were largely silent on the issue of gender and sex, or were reinforcing traditional values which contribute to HIV infection. In a number of countries, the church seems to have failed to provide leadership to young people, especially young women, facing huge pressure to be sexually active. Strategies for responding are outlined. In some heavily affected countries, married women have higher rates of HIV infection than their unmarried, sexually active peers. Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, World AIDS Day 2004. Adhering to the teachings of the Church, we determined to engage more deeply in challenging cultures and traditions which stifle the humanity of women and deprive them of equal rights. We agreed that our greatest challenge is to nurture and equip our children to protect themselves from HIV, so that we can fulfil the vision of building a generation without AIDS. Pastoral Letter from the Primates of the Anglican Communion, 27 May 2003. All the pastors' wives had never seen a condom as it is seen as a tool for unfaithful wives. NGO worker, Burkina Faso.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the policies of Oxfam GB
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