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Men and care in the context of HIV and AIDS: structure, political will and greater male involvement

Gender divisions in the provision of HIV and AIDS care

Authors: D. Peacock; M. Weston
Publisher: United Nations [UN] Division for the Advancement of Women , 2008

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What drives the enormous burden of AIDS-related care which falls on women and girls? What strategies are needed to reduce this burden? Rather than focusing only on ways to increase men's participation in shouldering a more equitable share of the burden of AIDS-related care, this paper by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women starts out with an analysis of the structural forces that affect how AIDS care is provided. It argues that, on the one hand, global economic policies, particularly structural adjustment policies, have led to the erosion of the public sector and the displacement of care into the household and onto women and girls. The authors show how on the other hand, the burden of AIDS care is driven by a lack of political will and the failure of governments to invest sufficiently in AIDS care.

The paper emphasises that government policies often underpin these norms and recognises that gender norms are a key cause of the excessive care burden on women. The authors show how in most countries, for example, paternity leave is much shorter than maternity leave and sometimes does not exist at all. This further entrenches an image of women, and not men, as carers. The authors show how government inaction is not inevitable. Activism by civil society can make a big difference as shown by the achievements of South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). To ensure that governments act on the binding commitments they have made, the paper argues that civil society organisations need to play a more activist role. This will require building new skills and relationships - including with trade unions and other social movements. It also necessitates that donors become more willing to fund advocacy work.