AIDS info ignores women, say critics

AIDS info ignores women, say critics

JAKARTA (JP): Information about the Acquired Immuno-Deficiency
Syndrome (AIDS) are strongly biased against women, AIDS
campaigners say.

This is particularly true when it comes to prostitutes, who
are depicted as primary infectors.

"This trend follows the previous bias against gay people, who
were initially believed to be the main infectors of the HIV
(Human Immunodeficiency Virus)," Danny Yatim of the Mitra
Indonesia, an AIDS hot line service, said at a seminar on "AIDS
and Gender" on Saturday.

Speakers at the seminar, organized by the Women's Studies
Section of the University of Indonesia, said this bias has led
both to the neglect of women infected by the HIV virus, and of
the men with whom they have had sexual contact.

They did not have to look far to prove their case, pointing to
press reports about an HIV-infected woman in Bojonegoro, East
Java, who gave birth last week.

According to reports, the 18-year old woman, a former
prostitute, had been prevented from breastfeeding her baby for
fear of passing on the HIV virus.

The authorities "have no right to tell her that she cannot
breastfeed her baby," said noted AIDS campaigner Nafsiah Mboi.
"It should be her decision after they inform her of the possible
consequences."

Nafsiah, a member of the House of Representatives, said the
authorities should focus more on "preparing her surrounding
community" against misperceptions about HIV which might lead to
her isolation. "They should also focus on giving her the freedom
to spend the rest of her life productively."

Sexual partners

Nafsiah also said that the authorities should also try to find
the woman's previous sexual partners who might have contracted
the virus and pass them on to their wives or others.

Galuh Wandita, of the Britain-based OXFAM funding agency, said
that there was an "information gap" among poor women which added
to their risk of contracting HIV. As an example. she cited the
conditions of East Nusa Tenggara, where she works.

She said that village health centers and family planning
centers are only designed to meet minimum needs of women related
to their reproductive functions, and overlooks their needs
regarding sex. "Where does a woman go if she is worried that she
has contracted a sex-related disease from her husband?" Galuh
said.

She also raised concern that the nation-wide Family Planning
program stresses modern contraceptives over "barrier methods"
including the use of condom.

In areas where hygiene is still poor, the use of Intra-uterine
Device (IUD) or injectable forms of birth control increase a
woman's vulnerability to HIV.

Other speakers at the seminar pointed out to the fact that
many family planning centers in isolated villages still use the
same syringe over and over for a number of inoculations. (anr)