Rights and choices of women living with HIV : a study of rural women resident in the eThekweni district.
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Date
2013
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Abstract
This study investigates the knowledge women living with HIV in South Africa have of their
rights and it analyses the ways in which stigma prevents these same women from accessing
their rights. Rights are defined as legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement;
that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to
people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory. The study draws
on qualitative data collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with
women from eThekwini district, in KwaZulu-Natal. In total, four focus group discussions and
6 in-depth interviews were conducted with women aged between 24- 63 years and in-depth
interviews with 2 key informants. In analysing the data the critical feminist paradigm was
used and the focus was on social exclusions.
The findings of the study suggest that women living with HIV lack information and are not
aware of their rights. This study suggests that stigma hinders women from accessing or
enjoying their rights. The findings of the study also suggest that women living with HIV are
excluded due to their gender. Furthermore, the socioeconomic status of women living with
HIV is further exacerbated by their status. This study found that socioeconomic status hinders
women from accessing their rights, particularly around reproductive health issues. Rights of
women living with HIV are violated in different contexts by different people including family
members and there are certain mechanisms which are used to exclude them. The mechanisms
used in violating the rights of women interviewed include not specifically asking for her
consent, not adequately informing her, withholding necessary service and coercion.
Furthermore, with the lack of information, campaigns within communities to provide relevant
and sufficient information to community members with the aim to fight stigma and
discrimination need to be initiated.
Description
Master of Arts in Population Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College 2013.
Keywords
Theses--Population studies., AIDS (Disease) in women--South Africa--eThekwini Municipality Metropolitan., Rural women., HIV-positive women--South Africa--eThekwini Municipality Metropolitan.