16 Days of Activism News from Zambia: 26 November


Date: November 26, 2004
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Women in Law in Southern Africa (WILSA) today released preliminary findings of a research project entitled ?HIV/AIDS: Challenges of Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights and the Right of Life.? WILSA acting regional coordinator Matrine Chuulu has called for the expansion of the post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment to protect children and women that have been exposed to HIV and AIDS through defilement or rape.

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA: 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE
NOVEMBER 26th 2004

Women in Law in Southern Africa (WILSA) today released preliminary findings of a research project entitled “HIV/AIDS: Challenges of Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights and the Right of Life.” WILSA acting regional coordinator Matrine Chuulu has called for the expansion of the post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment to protect children and women that have been exposed to HIV and AIDS through defilement or rape.

Chuulu said prophylaxis against HIV was an important component in the protection of women and children who had been violated. She said PEP is very important in shielding children who have been defiled. This kind of prophylaxis is currently being offered at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) paediatrics wing. She said there was need to open up more such centres especially since the incidence of defilement against children is increasing.

Chulu bemoaned the lack of HIV and AIDS policies in most countries in the region.
She observed that none of the countries so far have started to address prevention in a pragmatic manner because HIV and AIDS policies have not been drawn up and implemented. Chulu said the Abstain, Be faithful, Condomise (ABC) cliché in the fight against the pandemic was not working for women. She said women can only fulfill one of the “ABC” because they have no power to abstain or use a condom.

According to preliminary findings of the research, more men than women were accessing anti- retrovirals (ARVs). This is despite the fact that more women than men are infected. Chuulu observed that women had difficulties in accessing the drugs because poverty and long distances from health centres that offered the therapy.

She said women had to stay by the bedside of the sick for 24 hours a day, in some cases for the whole year to tend to the sick. Mothers and wives were the worst affected as they care for the sick and must still ensure their other chores are done.

WILSA acting national coordinator Joyce McMillan called for the amendment of the Marriage Act. She said the marriage Act should stipulate that a woman can only marry after 18 years. Alangizi National Association of Zambia (ANAZ) executive director Iress Phiri observed that home based care for patients with HIV is taxing for women. Phiri said culture demanded that women take care of the sick at the expense of other things.

ZAMWATCH chairperson and secretary held a consultative meeting with NGOCC over the hosting of cyber disccussions. Both ZAMWATCH and NGOCC representatives agreed to do a joint cyber discussions on December 2, that would last a minimum of five hours. Arrangements are being made to involve MISA Zambia in the programme. Both journalists and members of the general public are being mobilised to participate in the cyber discussions.

On the Copperbelt ZAMWATCH members, led by Charles Chisala (vice-chairperson) attended preparatory meeting of the Ndola District AIDS Task Force (DATF) for the World AIDS Day. They also participated in the review of the Community Response to HIV/AIDS Projects run by the Global Fund aided Zambia National Response to HIV/AIDS (ZANARA) stakeholders consultative meeting at Hotel Edinburgh, Kitwe. They further brought journalists from the Zambia News Agency (Zana), Zambia Information Services (ZIS), Zambia Daily Mail and Times of Zambia together and discussed the coverage of the 16 Days of activism including the World AIDS Day. They Lobbied the Times of Zambia for space for opinion
and commentary articles generated through the GEM Opinion and Commentary Service. The team will cover the opening of a shelter for abused children, a home-based care initiative and the Kitwe District Health Management Teams’ (DHMT)(ARV) Programme.

By Brighton Phiri

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