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Gender, Religion and Hiv and Aids Prevention

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Gender, Religion and Hiv and Aids Prevention TTHHEEOOLLOOGGYY IINN TTHHEE HHIIVV AANNDD AAIIDDSS EERRAA SSEERRIIEESS M O D U L E 1 GENDER, RELIGION AND HIV AND AIDS PREVENTION BY ISABEL APAWO PHIRI SERIES EDITOR MUSA W. DUBE THE HIV AND AIDS CURRICULUM FOR TEE PROGRAMMES AND INSTITUTIONS IN AFRICA © 2007 World Council of Churches All rights reserved. No part of this handbook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Published by World Council of Churches, Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa 150 route de Ferney P.O. Box 2100 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 791 6321 Fax: +41 22 791 6122 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.wcc-coe.org/ COURSE DEVELOPMENT TEAM Module Author Prof. I. A. Phiri, University of KwaZulu Natal Technical Advisor G. S. Ntloedibe-Kuswani, University of Botswana Series Editor M. W. Dube, University of Botswana NOTE TO LEARNERS, READERS AND USERS The overall goal of this module is to contribute towards building an HIV and AIDS competent church and theological institutions. This module is part of a series of ten modules entitled, Theology in the HIV and AIDS Era which were developed for distance learners. The modules form part of The HIV and AIDS Curriculum for TEE Programmes and Institutions in Africa. The process of production began with an all Africa training of trainers’ workshop on mainstreaming HIV and AIDS in Theological Education by Extension (TEE), held in Limuru Kenya, July 1-7, 2004. The workshop called for the production of a distance learning Curriculum and accompanying ten modules to enable the mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS in TEE programmes. Writers were thus identified, trained in writing for distance learners and given their writing assignments. In July 2-13, 2005, twelve writers gathered in the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Botswana with their first drafts for a peer review and quality control workshop. The result of the process is this series on Theology in the HIV and AIDS Era and the accompanying curriculum for TEE. The whole process was kindly sponsored by the Ecumenical Initiative for HIV and AIDS in Africa (EHAIA). Although the target audience for these modules is the distance learning community, it is hoped that the series will also stimulate new programmes, such as diplomas, degrees, masters and doctoral studies in HIV and AIDS theological research and thinking in residential theological institutions. It is also hoped that the series will contribute towards breaking the silence and the stigma by stimulating HIV and AIDS theological reflections and discussions among various groups and occasions, such as in Sunday school, women’s meetings, youth and men’s fellowships, workshops, conferences and among teachers and preachers of religious faith. Musa W. Dube Gaborone, Botswana July 28, 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS i GLOSSARY vi PART I MODULE INTRODUCTION 1 Unit 1 INTRODUCTION TO HIV AND AIDS FACTS 5 HIV and AIDS 6 The Spread of HIV and AIDS 10 The Global Nature of HIV and AIDS 15 The Impact of HIV and AIDS 21 The Link between HIV and AIDS and Social Structures 24 Unit 2 INTRODUCTION TO GENDER AND RELIGION 31 Gender 34 Gender Construction and Maintenance 35 Gender Construction in African Indigenous Religion 36 Gender Construction in Christianity in Africa 40 The Link Between Gender and the HIV and AIDS 43 Epidemic Construction of Gender-justice 45 i PART II HIV AND AIDS PREVENTION, GENDER, AND 49 RELIGION Unit 3 HIV and AIDS PREVENTION AND GENDER 51 HIV and AIDS Prevention 52 Prevention Methods 52 How HIV and AIDS Prevention is Hindered by Gender 57 Construction Issues Preventing Faithfulness 59 Issues Preventing the Use of Condoms 62 Secular Efforts to Build Gender-justice 64 Unit 4 RELIGION, GENDER, AND HIV AND AIDS 73 HIV and AIDS Prevention Difficulties and African 74 Indigenous Religion Gender Construction HIV and AIDS Prevention and Christian Gender 80 Construction Gender-empowerment in African Indigenous Religion 84 for HIV and AIDS Prevention Gender-empowerment in Christianity for HIV and AIDS 87 Prevention PART III HIV AND AIDS STIGMA AND GENDER 93 Unit 5 UNDERSTANDING STIGMA 95 Stigma and Discrimination 96 ii Stigma and Gender 100 Stigma and HIV and AIDS Prevention 102 Secular Means of De-stigmatisation 104 TEST FROM UNITS 1-5 111 Unit 6 STIGMA IN RELIGIONS AND HIV AND AIDS 113 African Indigenous Religion Perspectives of Illness and 114 Gender-related Stigmatisation Christian Perspectives of Illness and Gender-related 118 Stigmatisation African Indigenous Churches 120 Mission Churches 121 African Indigenous Religion Perspectives of De- 122 stigmatising Illness and Gender and their Application to HIV and AIDS Christian Perspectives of De-stigmatising Illness and 125 Gender and their Application to HIV and AIDS PART IV HIV AND AIDS CARE-GIVING, GENDER AND 131 RELIGIONS Unit 7 HIV AND AIDS CARE-GIVING AND GENDER 133 HIV and AIDS Care-giving 134 The Need for HIV and AIDS Care-giving 137 Gendered HIV and AIDS Care-giving 141 iii Secular Efforts in Gender-sensitive HIV and AIDS Care- 145 giving Unit 8 CARE-GIVING, GENDER CONSTRUCTIONS AND HIV 151 AND AIDS IN RELGIONS Gendered African Indigenous Religion Perspectives of 152 Care-giving Gendered Christian Perspectives of Care-giving 155 African Indigenous Religion Gender-neutral Views of 159 Care-giving and HIV and AIDS Christian Gender-neutral Views of Care-giving and HIV 161 and AIDS PART V CONCLUSION: HIV AND AIDS, AFFECTED 165 GROUPS AND GENDER Unit 9 GENDER AND THE AFFECTED 167 The HIV and AIDS Affected 168 The Experiences of Affected Children and Gender 169 The Experiences of Affected Women, Men and Gender 172 Secular Gender-sensitive Approaches towards the 174 Affected Unit 10 THE AFFECTED IN RELIGIONS AND GENDER 181 CONSTRUCTIONS Gendered African Indigenous Religion Perspectives of 182 the Affected iv Gendered Christian Perspectives of the Affected 184 African Indigenous Religion Gender-sensitive Views on 185 the Affected and their Application to HIV and AIDS Christian Gender-sensitive Views on the Affected and 187 their Application to HIV and AIDS Conclusion: Towards Gender-justice as Health for All 188 TAKE-HOME EXAMINATION 193 REFERENCES AND SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 195 v GLOSSARY Adultery Having sex with a person who is not a primary sex partner. In religious Circles, it refers to a person who is married having sex with another person. Affected Someone, who is either nursing or has lost a child, spouse or parent to HIV and AIDS. African The churches in Africa are divided Initiated into two types: the Mission Churches Churches and the African Initiated Churches (AICs) (also commonly known as African Independent Churches). Africans, both male and female, for one reason or another, founded the AICs. African Initiated Churches are divided into two types: The Ethiopian Churches and the Spirit-type Churches. The AICs are further divided into classical AICs of Pentecostal type who were established pre-1970s and the Charismatic type that came into existence post-1970s. AIDS Acquired Immune The last stage of the HIV disease. It Deficiency is an incurable disease that is Syndrome caused by a virus that destroys the immune system of otherwise health individuals. It is infectious. Ancestors Family members, especially older people who have died but are believed to be in communication with their living relatives. Each community has its own rules as to who qualifies to be an ancestor when they die. Antibody A Protein Found in the blood produced by the b-lymphocyte vi AZT Azidothymidine, An antiretroviral medication that is also called Retrovir used in the treatment of HIV or Zidovume infection and AIDS. In Africa, it is commonly used as a single dose to prevent the mother-to-child infection of HIV Care To mind, be concerned, worry, think about, heed, and be perturbed, for others. CD4 Cells Helper T Cells They play a central role in protecting the body from infections. When a person becomes affected by HIV, they are no longer able to protect the body. CD4 protein is the cell receptor for HIV. CD4 Cell The number of CD A normal CD4 count is between Count cells in the Blood per 600-1200 cells per ml. of blood. A ml. CD4 Cell count of 200 or less indicates that an HIV positive person has reached the AIDS stage. Denial Refusing to accept the facts that one is presented with. Discrimination A biased-action directed toward an individual based only upon the individual’s membership. Diviners Refers to women and men who depend on revelation from their ancestors to find out what is wrong with a person. They use different instruments and methods in their process of diagnosis. These may include bones, water, mirror, seeds, animal body parts etc., to help them determine what the problem is. Some diviners prescribe herbs for healing; others will send you to a herbalist to receive medicines. Some diviners undergo training that takes many years. Others do not receive training from a human being but the ancestors only. Dry Kissing Kissing on the lips without opening the mouth to exchange saliva. vii ELISA Test A conventional test used by health workers to determine the presence of antibodies produced in the human body when HIV is present. The results take days before they come back from the laboratory, but in most cases are reliable, although a second test is always advisable, especially if the results are positive. The Western bloc test can be used to validate the ELISA test. There are other tests which are quicker, though not always as accurate.
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