According to a recent study “Gender impact of HIV/AIDS in India”, carried out by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the number of women living with HIV/AIDS is on the rise in the country and it has been found that in majority of the cases the infection was passed on by polygamous husbands. The findings show that women who are in monogamous relationships have been infected by husbands or partners who have multiple sex partners. The study—carried out by UNDP, National Aids Control Organization (NACO), and National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)—was conducted to assess the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS in the six high prevalence states of India viz Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland.
The above finding disturbing as it may sound is as much applicable to Nagaland and therefore it is all the more necessary for policy makers and NGOs working in the area of HIV/AIDS to incorporate preventive measures based on the findings. As rightly pointed out, the biological, socio-cultural and economic factors make women and young girls more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. It could also be that the HIV virus is more easily transmitted from men to women than from women to men. At the core of this disquieting finding, an issue that requires urgent attention is firstly, to ensure the active participation of men in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Secondly, the issue comes back to the general empowering of women or the lack of it in this case.
As far as addressing women related issues in the overall context of HIV/AIDS prevention goes, increasing their awareness level alone will not suffice but rather the overall status of women must improve. The most crucial aspect that needs to be addressed here is the priority that needs to be given for women’s education. Experience from Family Planning studies have found that a woman who is educated and involved in decision making often opt for contraception and thereby reducing the number of child she bears as also the risk of HIV/AIDS. But whether it is Family Planning programs or HIV/AIDS, because of the patriarchal power structure prevalent, decision making in most cases is the sole prerogative of men, be it in the family or within a marriage. It is for this reason alone that any strategy to tackle HIV/AIDS must incorporate the active participation of men. Alternately it will also require bringing about attitudinal change in men on the aspect of safe sex and responsible behavior.
Especially in the context of Naga society men can make a big difference in the fight against AIDS. And for this, campaigns must address the vital issue of seeking change in the attitude and behavior of the male segment of the population and also directly involving men in the present preventive programmes. Men need to become part of the solution to achieve meaningful results in the AIDS campaign. And as much as there is a need to empower the socio-economic positions of women in society, men on their part must be educated about sex, health and family planning issues so that any decision that they take or action they perform is done with an informed choice of responsibility and sensitivity.
