The impact of gender relations on HIV/AIDS: case study of Kinondoni district.

This study focused on gender relations on HIV/AIDS. The efforts of the Tanzanian government, non-governmental organizations and international community, in the struggle to combat the HIV/AIDS disease have not made much impact, and the achievement has remained minimal. Women compared to men have higher infection and death rates. The research objective was to investigate the behaviour, gender and cultural factors, socio-economic factors, and coping strategies. The focus was to examine factors, which would reduce the rate of HIV/AIDS transmission in men, women and youth, as well as the long-term impact of the disease. The people interviewed included, one hundred respondents (50 men and 50 women) at Kimara, Manzese and Magomeni wards, and People living with AIDS (PLWAs) of WAMATA Dar Group. Methods used for data collection were documentary review, interviews, and focus group discussion. The research has revealed very minimal changes in individual and sexual behaviours. Most of the respondents knew the risk, as well as the preventive factors of HIV/AIDS disease. Cultural factors were pointed out as wife inheritance, female genital circumcision, initiation ceremonies of unyago', and having many sexual partners. The social factors were drug and alcohol abuse, sexual relations such as sex networks, social and peer pressures and prostitution. The economic factors were poverty, prostitution, unemployment, types of employment such as barmaids, tamaa' desire, broken homes such as children living in difficult conditions and single headed household. The gender related cultural factors such as different expectations regarding sexual roles, fidelity and marriage or harmful traditional practices were also analysed. The socio-economic factors such as inadequate access to health care and unequal educational economic opportunities on a male partner, or even lead to commercial sex, aroused more analysis from married couples. The study concluded that the socialization process at the family level, have to target a change in gender roles, hence have gender equity at all levels in the society.