* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Multiple and Concurrent Partnerships: Driving Southern Africa`s HIV
Sexual stimulation wikipedia , lookup
Age disparity in sexual relationships wikipedia , lookup
Human mating strategies wikipedia , lookup
Sex and sexuality in speculative fiction wikipedia , lookup
Human sexual response cycle wikipedia , lookup
Human male sexuality wikipedia , lookup
Sex in advertising wikipedia , lookup
Consent (criminal law) wikipedia , lookup
Human female sexuality wikipedia , lookup
Sexual ethics wikipedia , lookup
History of human sexuality wikipedia , lookup
Rochdale child sex abuse ring wikipedia , lookup
Sexual attraction wikipedia , lookup
Catholic Church and HIV/AIDS wikipedia , lookup
Lesbian sexual practices wikipedia , lookup
Female promiscuity wikipedia , lookup
MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 1 Parl - HIV HOW TO CARD C Composite M Y CM MY CY CMY K A Useful Resource In Advocacy Multiple and Concurrent Partnerships: Driving Southern Africas HIV Epidemic MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 2 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K HIV in Southern Africa Some important facts to note: Composite · Southern Africa remains the region most affected by HIV in the world; approximately 40% of all people living with HIV live in the SADC region. Eleven percent (11%) of the adult population in southern Africa is HIV positive. · Infection rates among adults in Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland, range from 20% to at least 30%. · The region has a generalised epidemic, meaning that transmission is sustained by sexual behavior in the general population. MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 3 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K What is driving Southern Africas HIV epidemic? A Southern African Development Community (SADC) Think Tank on HIV prevention convened in 2006 and identified the following as drivers of the HIV epidemic: · High levels of multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships by men and women · Insufficient consistent and correct condom use · Low levels of male circumcision Other important drivers of the HIV epidemic are: · · · · · Composite Male attitudes to sex and male sexual behaviour Intergenerational sex (age-disparate sex) Gender and sexual violence Stigma and lack of openness Untreated Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 4 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K What are multiple concurrent partnerships? Multiple concurrent partnerships can broadly be described as relationships where an individual has two or more sexual relationships that overlap in time. Multiple Concurrent Partnerships (MCP) refer to relationships between men and women who have more than one sexual relationship at the same time. These relationships can be long or short term. They vary in nature and meaning, ranging from a one night stand with a sex worker or even a stranger, to long term relationships. Reasons for engaging in MCP vary. Some people have multiple sexual partners for pleasure, while others do it to increase their social status or achieve material gain. Some have multiple partners for psychological or emotional reasons. Others engage in this practice because they see it as their cultural or social right to have more than one sexual partner. Composite MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 5 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K What are the forms of multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships? Multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships take different forms, some of which are: · · · · Steady partner and other side partners (small houses) Intergenerational sexual relationships Transactional sexual relationships Polygamy What is the connection between MCP and HIV? The practice is widespread throughout the region and it has been cited as one of the reasons why HIV prevalence rates are highest in southern Africa, than in any other region in the world. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) officially recognises that the practice of MCP is a key contributor to the spread of HIV in southern Africa. Composite MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 6 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K When people engage in unprotected sex with many different partners, they increase their chances of becoming infected with HIV. Unprotected sex is always a risk, so the more you do it, the greater the risk. Furthermore, each one of those partners may have their own network of partners with whom they are having unprotected sex. All it takes is for HIV to enter the network through one individual, for everybody to be at risk of infection. When somebody is first infected with HIV, their viral load is very high, making it very easy to transmit the virus to their partners. Studies have shown that during the first three weeks of being infected with HIV, a person is highly infectious, and this increases the chances of passing on the virus to sexual partners through unprotected sex during this period. In multiple concurrent partnerships, this may mean that many people become newly infected and spread HIV within the networks, in a short period of time. Composite MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 7 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K When somebody is first infected with HIV, their viral load is very high, making it very easy to transmit the virus to their partners. Studies have shown that during the first three weeks of being infected with HIV, a person is highly infectious, and this increases the chances of passing on the virus to sexual partners through unprotected sex during this period. Composite C M Y CM MY CY CMY K 4HEÆ-#0Æ7EB MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 9 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K What are the common factors driving Multiple and Concurrent Partnerships? There are several common factors that promote multiple and concurrent partnerships in the sub-region. Some of which are: · · Composite Negative cultural and social norms, including polygamy and gender inequality which create serious power imbalances and fuel MCP. Negative social norms have made it normal for men to have more than one sexual partner, while at the same time condemning women who engage in MCP. Lack of communication between partners in sexual relationships, especially among steady or long term relationships. MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 10 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Why should countries in Southern Africa focus on MCP? The role of concurrent sexual partnerships is increasingly recognised as important for the transmission of sexually transmitted infections, particularly of heterosexual HIV transmission in southern Africa. Evidence suggests that concurrent partnerships compared to serial partnerships: · · · Can increase the size of an HIV epidemic Can increase the speed at which it infects a population Can increase the HIV epidemics persistence within a population Identifying and understanding sub-groups of people who are more vulnerable to, and more likely to, transmit HIV is essential for improving the effectiveness of HIV prevention efforts. Composite MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 11 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Policy makers need to: · · · · Composite Demonstrate role-model leadership and protect themselves from HIV. Mobilise governments and its stakeholders to invest in in-depth of analysis of the national HIV epidemic in order to appropriately target interventions. Without an in-depth analysis of the epidemic, countries cannot have adequate understanding of the epidemic who is affected, by how much, why and where are they. Without an accurate characterisation of local epidemics countries cannot target interventions and resources effectively. Allocate more resources towards programmes that deliberately engage men, both young and old, on issues of multiple concurrent sexual partnerships. Invest in intensive programmes targeted at raising awareness of the HIV risks of multiple concurrent partnerships. MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 12 C · · · · M Y CM MY CY CMY K Increase access to women controlled prevention methods that will put the power of safe sex in womens hands. Examine the inter-linkages between gender, HIV and culture in order to create a supportive environment for HIV prevention at both country and regional levels. Address negative cultural norms and beliefs and encourage positive cultural practices, recognising both the key role they may play in supporting prevention efforts and the potential they have to fuel HIV transmission. Promote gender equality and address gender norms and relations to reduce the vulnerability of women and girls, and involving men and boys in this effort. Addressing multiple concurrent partnerships in HIV prevention requires targeted, locally informed and culturally relevant messages to raise personal awareness of risk and change socio-cultural norms around sexual partnering. Composite MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 13 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Strong leadership for prevention will ensure better coordination, accountability and sound technical direction for prevention. Composite MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 14 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K What is the OneLove Campaign? The campaign aims to shift social norms and reinforces positive behaviours without blaming those who are behaving in risky ways. It role models safer sexual behaviour and challenges women and men to change their behaviour to live a safer and happier life. It is responding to mounting evidence of MCP being a key driver of the HIV Epidemic in southern Africa. OneLove is the largest multi-country campaign in Southern Africa to address MCP. For more information visit www.onelovesouthernafrica.org OneLove is for all of us! Composite MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 15 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Further Reading 1. UNAIDS, 2008, Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic 2008 2. The Lancet, 2008, Putting prevention at the forefront of HIV/AIDS 3. UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa and the Soul City Institute Meeting Report: Multiple Concurrent Partnerships Campaigns and Communications, Towards a Coordinated Regional Response, 17-18 September 2008, www.unaidsrstesa.org/thema 4. 5. UNAIDS, 2007, Practical Guidelines for Intensifying HIV Prevention Soul City Institute, 2008 Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships in Southern Africa, A Ten Country Research 6. Timothy L. Mah & Daniel. T Halperin ,2008, Concurrent Sexual Partnerships and the HIV Epidemics in Africa: Evidence to Move Forward 7. Cadre, 2007, Concurrent Sexual Partnerships Amongst Young Adults in South Africa Challenges for HIV prevention communication 8. Daniel Halperin and Helen Epstein, 2007, Why is HIV Prevalence so Severe in Southern Africa: The Role of Multiple Concurrent Partnerships and Lack of Male Circumcision-Implications for AIDS Prevention 9. Dr.Datius Rweyemamu, 2008, Feminahip, Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships among Youths in Tanzania 10. Medical Research Council, South Africa, Policy Brief, April 2008, Sexual Risk Behaviour Among Men with Multiple, Concurrent Female Sexual Partners in An Informal Settlement On the outskirts of Cape Town. Composite MCP_HTCard4_211009.FH11 Wed Oct 21 15:53:21 2009 Page 16 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Produced by the SAfAIDS Policy Desk For more information contact SAfAIDS Regional Policy Desk: 479 Sappers Contour, Lynnwood, Pretoria 0081, South Africa. Tel: +27-12-361-0889 Fax: +27-12-361-0899 E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.safaids.net ISBN: 978-0-7974-3973-3 Composite