Gender and HIV/AIDS continues to affect the lives of many communities throughout Zambia. Gender disparities are still evident in the manner in which the socio-economic benefits are shared especially between men and women. While equal participation of men and women in the governance of the country is essential in providing a balanced and accurate composition in the strengthening of democracy in society, gender imbalance in both the economic and political governance of the country has persisted. Gender inequalities are structurally embedded and persist throughout the private and public realms
Women’s rights both in the administrative and social spheres are affected by the existence of the dual legal system in Zambia. The country has a dual legal system, which allows application of both the customary and statutory laws in civil and personal cases. The Constitution of Zambia guarantees that every person in the country shall enjoy certain rights and freedoms, irrespective of sex, race, creed, colour, religious belief or political opinion. Unfortunately, the same Constitution allows customary law to run side by side with statutory law in matters that deal with personal status, marriage, divorce and inheritance rights.
HIV/AIDS has a special gender dimension in that it disproportionately infects women. According to the current estimates, about 18 percent of adult females are HIV positive compared to 13 percent of male adults, while young women aged 15-19 years are more likely to be infected with the virus compared to males in the same age group. Females’ vulnerability, coupled by their limited access to productive resources, has been the primary cause of these disparities. Unequal distribution of resources at the household level, lack of gender sensitive social security schemes and limited access to health services equally raise their susceptibility to HIV infection.
The Gender and HIV/AIDS Sub Programme therefore seeks to continue building skills of staff both at Caritas Zambia national office as well as in the Dioceses in different aspects of addressing gender inequalities and the consequences of HIV/AIDS.
Operational Objective 1:
To strengthen the technical and institutional capacity of Caritas Zambia and 50% of Diocesan partners to address and integrate gender and HIV/AIDS issues in their implementation programmes, by the end of 2011.
Activities
Provide technical support to the Dioceses to develop HIV/AIDS work place policies and other Action Plans to improve the social well being of particularly women and female-headed households
Conduct researches in Gender and HIV/AIDS which provide evidence for the different advocacy activities that the organisation engages in.
Women’s rights both in the administrative and social spheres are affected by the existence of the dual legal system in Zambia. The country has a dual legal system, which allows application of both the customary and statutory laws in civil and personal cases. The Constitution of Zambia guarantees that every person in the country shall enjoy certain rights and freedoms, irrespective of sex, race, creed, colour, religious belief or political opinion. Unfortunately, the same Constitution allows customary law to run side by side with statutory law in matters that deal with personal status, marriage, divorce and inheritance rights.
HIV/AIDS has a special gender dimension in that it disproportionately infects women. According to the current estimates, about 18 percent of adult females are HIV positive compared to 13 percent of male adults, while young women aged 15-19 years are more likely to be infected with the virus compared to males in the same age group. Females’ vulnerability, coupled by their limited access to productive resources, has been the primary cause of these disparities. Unequal distribution of resources at the household level, lack of gender sensitive social security schemes and limited access to health services equally raise their susceptibility to HIV infection.
The Gender and HIV/AIDS Sub Programme therefore seeks to continue building skills of staff both at Caritas Zambia national office as well as in the Dioceses in different aspects of addressing gender inequalities and the consequences of HIV/AIDS.
Operational Objective 1:
To strengthen the technical and institutional capacity of Caritas Zambia and 50% of Diocesan partners to address and integrate gender and HIV/AIDS issues in their implementation programmes, by the end of 2011.
Activities
Provide technical support to the Dioceses to develop HIV/AIDS work place policies and other Action Plans to improve the social well being of particularly women and female-headed households
Conduct researches in Gender and HIV/AIDS which provide evidence for the different advocacy activities that the organisation engages in.
