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Change,
Choice and Power: Young Women, Livelihoods
and HIV Prevention. Literature Review and
Case Study Analysis
Stephanie Urdang
IPPF, UNFPA and Young Positives, 2007
If poor young women and adolescent girls have
the tools to generate their own incomes, will
this empower them to refuse unwanted sex,
negotiate condom use and walk away from
violent relationships? This paper explores
that very question. Statistics show that
young women and girls between the ages of 15
and 24 are the most vulnerable group -
one-third of all women living with HIV are
between the ages of 15 and 24, while 76
percent of young people who are living with
HIV in sub-Saharan Africa are female. The
paper focuses on southern and eastern Africa
and looks particularly at the role of
microfinance. It argues that microfinance
initiatives need to take into account the
differences between older women and young
women/adolescent girls when providing such
services. For instance, adolescents and young
women are often less confident in their
ability to run a business, are discouraged by
family and friends because they are
considered too young, and may want to pay for
specific services such as school fees for
themselves or their children. Input from
young women and adolescent girls regarding
their interests, hopes, responsibilities and
commitments are therefore critical for the
design of effective programmes with lasting
impact.
(Adapted from Siyanda, UK - www.siyanda.org)
http://www.unfpa.org/upload/lib_pub_file/674_filename_change.pdf
Women's
Property Rights as an AIDS Response: Emerging
Efforts in South Asia
International Centre for Research on
Women, 2007
In Asia, there is growing evidence of links
between women's rights to inheritance and
property and vulnerability to HIV. Women who
own property or otherwise control assets are
better positioned to improve their lives and
cope when they experience crises. This
document explores how property ownership
plays a role in HIV prevention and highlights
the experiences of women in South Asia.
http://www.icrw.org/docs/2007-property-rights-south-asia.pdf
HIV
Positive Women, Poverty and Gender
Inequality, ICW VISION PAPER 3
International Community of Women Living
with HIV/AIDS, 2004
Gender inequality and poverty not only
increase the risk of HIV but also leave women
more vulnerable than men to its impact. An
HIV positive diagnosis compounds the problems
women face in finding and keeping work. Many
women, including HIV positive women, work in
the informal sector. This may provide
flexible opportunities for women to earn a
living, but when informal sector workers or
family members are ill they do not get paid
for the work they miss. Moreover, stigma and
gender inequality combine to make it
difficult for HIV positive women to obtain
resources and customers for small businesses.
Strategies to increase women's financial
independence, such as micro-credit schemes,
are thus essential to expand women's
livelihood opportunities. Financial support
for carers who may be unable to work is also
vital. HIV positive people should be involved
in workplace policy development and
implementation, to ensure that policies
promote the retention and employment of HIV
positive staff and ensure that benefits
include appropriate care and support.
(Adapted from Siyanda, UK - www.siyanda.org)
http://www.icaso.org/resources/HIV_positivewomen.pdf
Gender,
poverty and intergenerational vulnerability
to HIV/AIDS
Oxfam, 2002
This article looks at HIV/AIDS, poverty and
gender, and focuses on young girls and old
women. It starts with some basic facts about
HIV/AIDS, and then provides a framework for
analyzing vulnerability to the infection and
to its impact, in relation to gender and age.
It briefly outlines institutional responses,
and ends up with conclusion and
recommendations for development planners to
combine gender and age analysis in any
development or humanitarian work.
http://www.oxfam.org.nz/imgs/whatwedo/hivaids/gendervuln.pdf
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