Pretoria – The Department of Social Development has launched the Gender Equality Assessment of Provincial Strategic and Operational Plans on HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Tuberculosis (TB).
The report is aimed at reducing women’s vulnerability to HIV.
It also examined the impact of coming-of-age cultural practices on the rights of girls and young women and explored whether these practices increase the risk of HIV infection, unwanted pregnancies and gender based violence.
The report was informed by dialogues held in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. The dialogues were conducted with various stakeholders including traditional councils, government departments, young women and men, parents and guardians.
The report shows that generally, Provincial Strategic Plans (PSPs) as well as Provincial Operational Plans (POPs) provide comprehensive responses to gender equality within their HIV responses for the provinces.
However, it noted some areas that require strengthening in order to achieve gender equality and promote access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for women in all their diversity. The report said women and girls living with HIV must be meaningfully involved in mobilisation, capacity building and funding programmes for HIV.
“There are some specific and important interventions and services that are not explicitly provided for in a number of PSPs, which require addressing.
“These include making explicit provision for, among others, skills training; access to credit and micro-finance in efforts to advance women’s economic independence for emergency contraception and access to abortion and post-abortion care; access to justice for gender based violence over and above sexual violence and for providing care and support to women and girls affected by HIV,” the report said.
Putting legislation to work
Social Development Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu said the country has an impressive enabling legislative environment, which ensures the upholding of women’s rights, including sexual and reproductive rights.
She, however, said that gender inequality still prevails and negatively impacts on social and health outcomes for women and girls.
“The National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STIs (2012-2016) recognises the role that gender inequalities and associated socio-cultural factors play in perpetuating the HIV epidemic and its impact on women and girls,” said Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu.
Welcoming the report, South African National AIDS Council Deputy chairperson, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, said while progress has been made, implementation of legislation must have a more woman-centred approach.
The report was initiated under the auspices of the former Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities. It was taken over by the Department of Social Development following the general election in May 2014. – SAnews.gov.za
