Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) - November 16, 2001
Charlene Smith

The African National Congress-dominated committee issued its recommendations after two months of hearings into women and HIV, and found that the benefits of anti-retroviral treatment to stop mother-to-child trans- mission of HIV "outweigh the risk - and is affordable ... It can end the unnecessary loss of life".

The report, the most powerful yet to emerge from the government, and the first to show parliamentarians united by the need to combat sexual violence and HIV, comes a week before the Treatment Action Campaign takes the government to court for refusing to offer free nevirapine to all pregnant women infected by HIV.

The committee, headed by ANC parliamentarian Pregs Govender, said the "high and shocking levels of rape demand an urgent response from the state. An expert committee needs to be urgently convened by government to examine recommendations for best practice and develop guidelines for use of anti-retrovirals as post-exposure prophylaxis for rape. The committee believes outrage at the horror of these rapes has to be converted into action to prevent the additional tragedy of the rape survivor (baby, child or woman) contracting HIV/Aids."

The report said that "it is clear that the subordination and oppression of women and girls has become the most urgent threat to public health".

The committee said the myth that sex with a virgin could cure HIV/Aids "has now extended to include all vulnerable groups: babies, children, old women, disabled children and women". It called for a "massive public education campaign to show how sexual inequality, violence and the rape of the virgin myth is spreading HIV/Aids. The committee strongly recommends that government strategy has to start from the recognition that sexual inequality is driving the spread of the epidemic."

In addition it looked at the failure of religion and culture to address violence against women and children or the spread of HIV. The committee said "cultural practices must be examined to ensure they are not infringing the constitutional right to bodily integrity of the girl child". And it called on men and boys to "recognise the role they can play in stopping the spread of HIV/Aids", including mobilising against abuse and violence, changing sexual behaviour and "reclaim[ing] your humanity."

The report recommends "a holistic integrated response [from government to Aids and sexual violence] that encompasses prevention and treatment; that addresses HIV/Aids, poverty and gender-based violence and that is driven by people living with Aids".

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