HIV and AIDS among Women Essay Example
HIV and AIDS among Women Essay Example

HIV and AIDS among Women Essay Example

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  • Pages: 5 (1141 words)
  • Published: November 18, 2021
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Leaders from around the world came to a consensus on the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda during the last United Nations Summit on 25 September 2015. This agenda includes the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which are comprised of 17 initiatives. The SDGs consist of new and universal objectives, targets, and indicators that member states of the United Nations are encouraged to incorporate into their political policies and agendas over the next 15 years.

The United Nations has set 17 goals to achieve by 2030, focusing on reducing poverty, addressing inequalities and injustices, and tackling climate change. These goals consist of 169 targets that aim to address specific issues. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) build upon the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) established in 2000, with a broader scope that addresses root causes and advocates for universal development benefiting all people. The inclu

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sivity of all nations in SDG development is recognized as an important milestone by the United Nations to ensure no one is left behind and promote sustainable and inclusive global progress.

The SDGs recognize the importance of collective effort in achieving prosperity, well-being, peace, and environmental preservation worldwide. Additionally, empowering girls and women is seen as crucial steps towards reaching the 2030 Global Goals (Theron, 2016).

The global consensus is that goals benefiting women and girls also benefit the world. The third sustainable development goal centers on women's health and seeks to tackle issues impacting women globally. This research aims to examine the impact of this goal on women, especially those affected by HIV/AIDS. It delves into the significance of this goal in psychology and how different international agencies are addressing the matter. To attain sustainable development, it i

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vital to guarantee healthy lives and enhance overall well-being for individuals of all ages.

The objective for achieving various targets by 2030 is to reduce global maternal rates, end preventable deaths among newborns and children under 5 years old, eradicate tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS epidemics, and neglected tropical diseases. Additionally, it aims to combat water-borne diseases, hepatitis, and other communicable diseases while ensuring universal health coverage and access to reproductive health services. The goal also includes decreasing illnesses and deaths related to chemicals and pollution, implementing tobacco controls, supporting research and development in medicines and vaccines for non-communicable and communicable diseases. It seeks to increase health financing as well as training, recruitment, development, and retention of the healthcare workforce. Strengthening capacity for early warning detection and minimizing risks locally and internationally are also targeted. This goal is crucial for achieving other sustainable development goals as it serves as a reliable measure of sustainable development progress. Women's health plays a critical role in accomplishing all 17 sustainable development goals; however HIV/AIDS remains a major threat to global development despite significant progress made by the MDGs especially among girls/women according to Natale et al.(2010).According to a report by the World Health Organization (Natale et al., 2010), it is the main cause of death in women of reproductive age globally.

Around the world, approximately 16 million individuals presently live with HIV/AIDS. Women, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa regions, bear a greater burden of this illness in comparison to men because they are biologically more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections. Gender disparities such as violence, denial of rights, legal norms, and discrimination under criminal laws also contribute to the prevalence of HIV

and AIDS among women (Natale et al., 2010).

The limitations placed on women's ability to protect themselves and control their own sexual lives, particularly in domestic relationships, vary across countries. These expectations also increase women's susceptibility to violence, making them less likely to seek testing or disclose their status to partners. Furthermore, access to counseling and treatment is hindered by these societal norms. Additionally, the low social status of women restricts their opportunities for education, business ownership, and property rights, which further hampers effective HIV prevention efforts. The escalating number of HIV cases among women can be attributed to coerced sterilizations and abortions. It is crucial to understand the psychological impact of these factors in order to effectively address this issue.

Psychological factors, specifically fear, are frequently associated with HIV/AIDS in women and girls. This fear is especially common among women who have the infection as they often hesitate to inform their partners about their status (Hegdahl et al, 2016). Moreover, women with HIV encounter physical and sexual trauma, which leads to higher rates of occurrence and poorer outcomes. To tackle the importance of HIV/AIDS in women, the international community has introduced initiatives and regulations that seek to raise awareness among women, girls, and society at large (Natale et al, 2010).

The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) has been advocating for gender equality and its impact on women in relation to HIV/AIDS transmission since the 1990s. The organization's focus includes educating women about family planning, maternal health, and reproductive health.

In line with this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidelines for antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy for women living with HIV. WHO also supports various approaches

to reduce vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, such as implementing social protection programs that provide cash transfers to alleviate poverty and improve food security. Furthermore, interventions in schools are being utilized to promote equity and address violence.

To contribute towards reducing vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, UNICEF implements strategies that include offering gender-sensitive education, life skills education, and services.

Partnerships with multiple organizations are backing the advancement of comprehensive HIV knowledge, testing, counseling services, and family planning services. The Global Fund, UNAIDS, UNFPA, and PEPFAR have united to tackle this issue. Nonetheless, despite these initiatives, there is still inadequate coverage of HIV treatment. Furthermore, only a mere 21% of female adolescents globally possess adequate knowledge about the disease. Moreover, over half of the 21 priority countries recognized in the UNAIDS Global plan have yet to meet the criteria for family planning.

To combat HIV/AIDS, a comprehensive approach is necessary. This includes strengthening and expanding existing preventive and treatment strategies, conducting research, and promoting new developments (PR, 2011). Interventions like providing education on HIV and reproductive health, promoting positive gender norms, combating sexual violence and coercion, increasing access to family planning methods such as condoms, and encouraging voluntary testing and counseling are crucial (Natale et al., 2010). Equipping women with the necessary tools to address risks to their sexual and reproductive health is essential. It's also important to pay attention to the behaviors and psychosocial challenges faced by those infected.

References

  • Hegdahl, H. K., Fylkesnes, K. M., & Sandoy, I. F. (2016). Sex Differences in HIV Prevalence Persist over Time: Evidence from 18 Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Plos ONE, 11(2), 1-17.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0148502

  • Natale, A. P., Biswas, B., Urada, L., & Scheyett, A. M.
  • (2010).

    Global HIV and AIDS: Calling all Social Work Educators. Social Work Education, 29(1), 27-47. PR, N. (2011, June 9). Curb Violence Against Women, Girls While Preventing AIDS, Says UNFPA. PR Newswire US. Theron, G.

    B. (2016). Sustainable Development Goals.

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