A gendered critique of the response of Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) to two selected women's sexual and reproductive health issues in Zambia.
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Date
2015
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Abstract
This study is a gendered critique of the response of Churches Health Association of Zambia
(CHAZ) to the two selected women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues in
Zambia which are HIV and AIDS, and Cervical Cancer. The study was motivated by the high
rate of statistics on HIV and AIDS, and cervical cancer among women in Zambia. The
purpose of this study was to answer the key question which is; how is CHAZ responding to
HIV and AIDS, and cervical cancer as women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH)
issues in Zambia? The CHAZ annual reports, the CHAZ News Bulletin and the CHAZ
Health Voice Newsletter were collected and analysed using Rao Gupta’s three of the five
“gendered approaches to HIV and AIDS intervention” which served as a theoretical
framework for this study. These three approaches include; gender sensitivity, gender equity,
and women empowerment. This was a qualitative textual study which used CHAZ documents
and other materials sourced from the library and the internet. Critical Discourse Analysis was
used as a research methodology for this study.
The study established that CHAZ considers HIV and AIDS as one of the diseases of major
health concern. CHAZ implements resource mobilization programmes and community based
programmes such as Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), Home Based
Care (HBC) and Local Community Competence Building (LCCB) in relation to HIV and
AIDS. However, these programmes could be questionable based on the concepts of gender
sensitivity, gender equity, and women empowerment. The response of CHAZ to cervical
cancer was analyzed using screening programmes, education and women empowerment
programmes, and the link between HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. The CHAZ data that
was analyzed at the time of this study did not show any programmes aimed at addressing
cervical cancer, except in the PEPFAR and other reports that highlighted the involvement of
CHAZ in the pink ribbon campaign. It was also established that the response of CHAZ to
cervical cancer remains questionable in relation to gender sensitivity, gender equity and
women empowerment because to begin with, cervical cancer is not listed among issues of
priority health concern by CHAZ. vii
The study also examined four theological underpinnings of CHAZ in relation to women’s
SRH issues. The first one was ecumenical theology as a Christian value of CHAZ. It was
established that this theology was significant to CHAZ in addressing women’s SRH issues as
it commands wider influence because of this theology. However, it was also established that
it could pose a challenge to CHAZ’s response in relation to women’s SRH issues because it is
composed of health institutions which are under different denominations with different views
on women’s SRH issues. The second one was a scriptural theological response of CHAZ.
This was found to be life-giving as it is the basis of CHAZ’s response to women’s SRH
issues. However, the study established that the patriarchal tendencies that emanate from
scripture affected how CHAZ responds to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. The theology
of a healthy and productive life for all was also found to be significant to CHAZ‘s response
as it stemmed from its mission statement. However, it was established that HIV and AIDS
and cervical cancer pose a challenge to this theology. Lastly, the theology of a holistic
approach to health care service delivery was considered as significant to the response of
CHAZ to the two SRH issues, as it emphasized healing, both in terms of the physical and the
spiritual aspect.
Description
M. Th. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.
Keywords
Cervix uteri--Cancer--Zambia--Religious aspects., HIV-positive women--Zambia., AIDS (Disease) in women--Zambia., Sexual health--Zambia--Religious aspects., Reproductive health--Zambia., Sex role--Zambia--Religious aspects., Women's health services--Zambia., Feminism--Zambia., Theses--Theology.