Africa: Women and AIDS

[James Love <love@cptech.org>]

Thanks to Steve Suppan for passing this along.


Subject: Africa: Women and AIDS
   Date: Wed 23 Dec 1998 12:12:51 -0600
  From: apic@igc.org (by way of Steve Suppan <ssuppan@iatp.org>)


Africa: Women and AIDS
Date distributed (ymd): 981221
Document reposted by APIC

+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++

Region: Continent-Wide
Issue Areas: +economy/development+  +gender/women+
Summary Contents: 
This posting contains the final declaration from the Dakar
Panafrican Conference on Women and AIDS in Africa, held in
December 1998, as well as a pre-conference announcement from
the sponsor, the Society of Women Against AIDS (SWAA). 
Additional information is available on the web site of the
Fondation du Present (http://www.hivnet.ch), in Switzerland,
which hosts discussions on a variety of aids-related topics,
including gender and AIDS and AIDS in Africa.  The postings
from the discussions, and information on how to subscribe, are
available at the following addresses:

gender-aids: http://www.hivnet.ch:8000/gender-aids/tdm
af-aids: http://www.hivnet.ch:8000/af-aids/tdm
How to join: http://www.hivnet.ch:8000/join/

If you have e-mail access only, write to
aids98.community@hivnet.ch.  Contact mailing addresses and
phone numbers for SWAA can be found at the end of the posting
below.

+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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SWAA 7th Panafrican Conference on Women and AIDS in Africa
Dakar Declaration
17 December 1998

[The SWAA Conference Initiative is supported by the Fondation
du Present, SWAA and UNAIDS] 

Knowing the extreme seriousness of the AIDS pandemic in
Africa,

Knowing that Africa is the most severely affected continent
and that efforts already undertaken in terms of health are
seriously jeopardised,

Knowing that life expectancy has already been reduced by ten
years in the most severely affected countries,

Knowing the extreme vulnerability of women and children in
sub-Saharan Africa,

Knowing the low levels of international solidarity and the
aggravation of North/South inequality in terms of the disease
and its treatment,

Knowing the inadequacy of prevention efforts, especially aimed
at young people,

Knowing the personal suffering caused by AIDS - isolation,
stigmatisation, silence and loneliness - and the serious
shortcomings of collective measures for people living with
AIDS,

Knowing the absolute urgency of strong and motivational
measures to complement measures undertaken to promote health,

We, the participants of the Conference on "African Women and
AIDS and Men, Our Partners in the Fight against AIDS", make a
formal appeal and seek the firm and unwavering commitment of
all individuals and institutions signing this declaration, to
act to the utmost of our capacities and bring effective
solutions to the AIDS pandemic in Africa.

We call for total commitment and increased dialogue between
men and women to create an AIDS-free future for African
children.

We ask:

* political leaders to tirelessly broadcast messages on the
seriousness and urgency of the AIDS problem in order to spur
measures against a pandemic that jeopardises all their efforts
to develop their countries and the well-being of the people
they lead;

* the scientific community to intensify research efforts,
especially to develop vaccinations quickly and contribute to
the development of immediately accessible medication;

* pharmaceutical laboratories to stop their practice of
reserving medications for almost exclusive use by northern
countries and to commit themselves to seeking ways of helping
reduce inequality between the North and South with respect to
the disease;

* international institutions to take epidemic-fighting action
as they have in the past, by promoting solidarity in terms of
research and rapid availability of vaccinations, and seeking
ways of obtaining rapid access to medication by increasing
their support for community initiatives and responses;

* Africans with healing knowledge and powers, who are often
the only recourse of the sick, to share in supporting the sick
and participate in the many and varied forms of
case-management efforts;

* spiritual leaders to send out messages that cannot be
interpreted as impediments but rather as support for
prevention efforts, and to emphasise and reinforce their
support for the sick and those close to them;

* legal and statutory authorities to inspire legislation aimed
at protecting women and children, as well as people who are
denied their rights because of the disease;

* communities to make protection of women a top priority,
through measures that strengthen their capacity to make
personal decisions and freely participate in social and family
life;

* communities not to forget their children, whose future
cannot be secure without strong social protection and
universal access to education and prevention;

* for increased prevention, which remains a top priority:
prevention should begin much earlier in life and should be
applied to all social groups, especially those who are
forgotten and who are often the most affected, prevention
messages should be bolder and seek new avenues, especially
aimed at young people, girls and boys;

* that cultural traditions be reconsidered and no longer seen
as obstacles to prevention and as a means of transmitting the
disease, and that they be used judiciously to reinforce
solidarity and promote life;

We declare our firm commitment to seeking, diversifying and
reinforcing community responses to the pandemic, to
emphasising respect for people infected by AIDS, and to
working towards a future without AIDS for African children,
women and men.

All participants are requested to distribute this declaration
as widely as possible in their respective countries and
collect the signatures of all individuals and institutions who
wish to demonstrate their commitment to responding to the
challenge of AIDS and saving African children, women and men.

If you want put your name behind this declaration, send a
message to:

gender-aids@hivnet.ch

we will pass on all responses received to The Society for
African Women and AIDS.

***********************************************************

About Society of Women Against AIDS and conference under the
auspices of SWAA/SENEGAL scheduled for December 14-17, 1998,
Dakar, Senegal

INTRODUCTION

Realizing Africa's peculiarity as regards the AIDS epidemic,
a group of women has decided to mobilize itself and speak as
one, and to set up SWAA, Society of Women Against Aids. Or
women's Panafricanist Organization for the fight Against AIDS.
Since its inception in 1989, SWAA provides African women with
a framework for dialogue and expression that enabler them to
fully play their role in the prevention and control of HIV
infection. African women's great vulnerability no longer needs
to be proved. The weight of prejudices and taboos,
socio-economic conditions have made women victims of the lack
of equal opportunities that prevent them from having access to
education, training, paid employment information about health
issues... It is therefore essential to define lines of action
taking into account women's status.

As a mater of tact, it is recognized that any action that
tends to improve women health has an impact on a nation's
ability to control its destiny: Women who are educated,
informed, free to decide what to do with their lives
constitutes an efficient weapon in the fight against health
problems such as HIV/AIDS.

OBJECTIVES

Its key objectives are as follows:

- Sensitize and raise the level of awaress of African women on
AIDS and its consequences. 
- Educate African women on HIV/AIDS prevention, taking into
account their socio-cultural realities. 
- Provide support to women and children infected with
HIV/AIDS.

SWAA'S MAJOR ACTIVITIES AND STRATEGY

The major activities aim at mobilizing women and making them
act for a change in behaviors and practices that encourage the
transmission of HIV infection (sororote "levirat", excision
etc). Sensibilization and education on beliefs and
superstitions, traditional norms and values that encourage the
stigmatizing of women and young girls. Reducing female
prostitution through the creation of income generating
activities and the promotion of safe sex. Supporting people
directly or indirectly affected by HIV. Reviewing the ways and
means of collaboration with exiting women organizations,
international institutions national committees for the fight
against AIDS for a better control of this epidemic. Peer group
education is the strategy adopted by SWAA women, the youth,
especially teenagers can easily be reached in their
environment by sensitization and education programs.

STRUCTURES

SWAA's consists of 3 structures:

1-The executive Board: Composed of eleven women from ten
countries, the Board is entrusted with the planning and
monitoring of SWAA's major activities 'setting up national
branches, organizing conferences and the general assembly
every two years.) The Executive Board ensures the link between
national sections and financial backers on the one hand
between national section and NGOs fighting against AIDS on the
other hand. Through UNAIDS support a head office was set up in
Dakar since January 1998, the purpose being to carry out
activities efficiently while ensuring a better coordination.
An administrative assistant is in charge of the communication
between the eight national sections, the Executive Board and
international partner.

2- Regional offices: A group of four coordinators: West, East,
Central and Southern Africa ensure coordination and
supervision at regional level.

3- National branches: Semi-autonomous, they enable the
decentralization of grass root activities. Each branch
develops and implements programs, taking into account its
realities. SWAA is present in 28 countries in Africa.

SWAA'S PREVIOUS CONFERENCES

Since its founding SWAA has organized six conferences under
the following themes:

* United against AIDS 'Harare, Zimbabwe 1989) * Coming to
terms with AIDS' impact (lagos Nigeria 1990) * Obstacles to
AIDS' prevention (Yaounde Cameroon 1991) * AIDS an family
(Arusha, Tanzanie 1992) * AIDS: a family disease (Lusaka,
Zambia 1994) * AIDS: grassroots challenges

Over 25 African countries have participated in these
conferences. Communications and recommendations from these
conferences have been widely published and broadcasted in
various ways such as:

- Oral presentation women AIDS: new and old problems (1989) At
the annual meeting of the association of African studies.
Atlanta, Georgia USA. - 5th international conference on AIDS
in Africa (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo 1990). -
AIDS in the 1990's both a collective and individual
responsibility communication presented at the 7th
International Conference an AIDS. 3RD WORLD Congress on STD's
(Amsterdam, Holland July 1992) - A publication triple trap by
Panos Institute, London. Describes the report of SWAA's second
conference. - A SWAA's satellite symposium: Working with the
youth organized in collaboration with WHO/GPA during the 7th
International Conference on AIDS in Africa, (December 1993,
Marrakech, Marroco) - AIDS: women and gender: Presentation
during plenary session by a SWAA Executive member at the 7th
International Conference on AIDS. - In addition five reports
have been developed on the Conference
(1989-1990-1991-1992-1994) as well as Summaries and
recommendations.

4- 7th Conference on women and Aids in Africa.

The 7th Conference will be held in Dakar, Senegal from
December 14-17- under the auspices of SWAA/SENEGAL.

4-1- General Theme

"Expanding the response: Men as our partners in the fight
against AIDS"

4-1- The steering Committee is composed of:

- SWAA/SENEGAL - SWAA/Executive Board - The Senegal National
Committee for the fight against AIDS - The Senegal Ministry of
Public Health and Social Action

Co-sponsors: UNAIDS UNFPA WHO

4-3- The goal of the conference

To improve awareness of AIDS' realities and the need for an
effective partnership men/women for a better control of the
epidemic.

4-4- The objectives of the 7th conference

- Sensitize public opinion about the impact of AIDS on African
women and the vulnerability factors. 
- Encourage men to better participate in the fight against
AIDS. 
- Formulate recommendations in order to strengthen HIV/AIDS
prevention with the family. 
- Establish a solidarity network so that African women living
with HIV could have easy access to quality care, especially to
anti-retrovirus. 
- Examine the ways and means to enhance a more effective
involvement of men in the fight against AIDS in for African
women's access to prevention through AZT , of the mother to
child transmission. 
- Define alternative strategies to breastfeeding, that are
adapted to the African socio-cultural economic context.

CONTACTS:

Pr. Ag Charlotte Faty NDIAYE, President SWAA/SENEGAL, BP 5035
CHU Fann, Senegal; Tel/Fax: (221) 24 37 22

Dr. Ibra NDOYE, Coordinator of the National committee for the
fight against AIDS, Service d'Hygiene Sociale, Tel (221) 822
90 45

Dr. Eka Esu-WILLIAMS, President SWAA/NIGERIA, C/o 1601 Adeola
Hopewell Street, Victoria Island, Lagos-NIGERIA; Tel: 234 1
610773, Fax 234 1 2612815

Dr. Claire MULANGA KABEYA, International Cordinator, SWAA, 28,
av Rainbaud d'Orange, 34080 Montpellier France; Tel (33) 97 41
63 13 (o) (33) 67 45 25 64 (h) Fax 33 67 54 78 00

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