Women are disproportionately infected with HIV/AIDS for biological, social and economic reasons. Globally, 47% of HIV-positive adults are women, but it is increasing rapidly. The ‘Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation’ identified four major approaches in a groundbreaking study on spread out HIV in Bangladesh. This study undertook by comparing of social-economic norm, family pattern, economic dependency, cause of mounting sex industries, gender discrimination status & global analysis fact. There are four factors that appear to play a crucial role in HIV transmission in Bangladesh: Injection/ intravenous drug use (By sharing needle), female sex work (Due to lack of safe sex knowledge), gender discrimination (which indirectly force females commercial or non-commercial sex), Same sex/ homosexually/ Hizra (Due to lack of HIV/AIDS information, because they act invisible in this society). Poverty & illiteracy fueled it proportionally.
The HIV/AIDS programme specialist Mr. Mohammad Khairul Alam said, “several social norms and immature behavior fueled of this disease to scatter rapidly. There are several social components link to develop this harmful situation. Poverty-behind to force it, Gender discrimination plays a vital role; Frustration & risk behavior help to sink humanity resulting infection. The link between poverty & gender discrimination are help to decline socio economic prosperity. This link creates several anti social poisonous issues also. Such as trafficking to prostitute, sell sex for earn or living, break down family norm to create frustration and driven drug point. We notice easily that Illiteracy is the main watchword of all circumstance. So it is not easy to remove it from the society, several programs & strategy are needed to gain sustainable position”.
Adolescent girls are especially vulnerable to HIV/STDs infection in developing & poor countries, because of biological, cultural and economic factors. Women are more vulnerable to HIV infection through the genital tract and they are sexually mature and active at younger age. The low social status of women in many poor countries encourages gender discrimination, domestic and sexual violence, coercion and psychological abuse, so that they are less able to negotiate safe sexual practices. They may not have the knowledge or skills to make good decisions and stick to them; they may not have a realistic sense of their own vulnerability and therefore take risks; and they are in a phase of life when they are likely to be starting new relationships. Sexuality educators need to ensure that young people have full and accurate information about STIs and HIV/AIDS and the skills to protect themselves now and in the future.
In the developing and poor countries, the economically vulnerable groups are the most affected with constrains on accessibility to information, treatment, and preventive masque. The disease is migrating from the high-risk groups to the weaker sections of the family - the women and children, and from urban areas to rural areas, thereby affecting the socio-economic fabric of the society. Partly for this reason, there is a growing recognition that many young people are sexually active and need sexuality education; teaching about other STIs is also crucial. Many STIs are more widespread than HIV/AIDS and have serious health consequences, including increasing one’s vulnerability to HIV infection.
For more information on what the UN is doing about AIDS/HIV, visit http://www.unaids.org