"Gender Norms, Domestic Violence and Women's Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS" - a study report by the Gender Centre, Ghana

On Wednesday the 9th of September, my colleagues Roselynn, Beatrice and I attended the Launch of a Research Report on “Gender Norms, Domestic Violence and Women’s Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS”. This Research Report was commissioned by one of our grantee partners, the Gender Studies & Human Rights Documentation Centre based in Ghana.

The lead researcher on the project Betty Akumatey gave a comprehensive overview of the research findings which indicated that the following gender norms increase women’s vulnerability to infection with the HIV/AIDS virus:

• Lack of Sexual Knowledge
• Acceptance of Male Promiscuity within the Confines of Marriage
• Polygyny
• Sex as a Woman’s Marital Obligation
• Infertility as a Woman’s Problem
• Choice of Marital Partner
• Widow Inheritance

In my opinion her research findings clearly demonstrated the way Gender norms in Ghana impact on women’s increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. Ms Akumatey stressed how concepts such as “men can’t eat the same soup every day” (women are the soup in this context) contributed to a tolerance of male promiscuity which is a factor in the Ghanaian woman’s increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.

Dr Sylvia Anie Akwetey who launched the report challenged the audience in their thinking on HIV/AIDS, “How would you act towards me if I had HIV/AIDS?”
During the very lively discussion that followed the launch of the report a woman disclosed her HIV positive status to the audience and requested that more efforts be made to educate “our mothers in the Muslim community” about HIV/AIDS. Rukhiya stated that she had been kicked out of her home since she became HIV positive and since then had been unable to return home. A request was also made by a member of the audience that such important information be translated into local Ghanaian languages.

All in all, the report is an important study that should enable advocates to lobby policy makers to consider the interface of gender and HIV/AIDS. It was highly reassuring to hear Dr Sylvia Anie Akwetey who works with the Ghana Aids Commission declare that this study will feed into the next strategic plans of the organisation.