Issued by: Minister for Welfare and Population Development
23 FEBRUARY 1999
BACKGROUND
Projected figures show that 43% of all people over 15 years are living with HIV/AIDS. There are no indictors that this trend will change. It is a sad reality that in many instances risk behaviour for women entails sexual activities with their partners.
A culture of silence and fear has also developed around the HIV/AIDS disease. Individuals refrain from disclosing their HIV status because of fear of rejection from and isolation in the community. Women need to break this silence, condemn the violence and fight AIDS! The death of Gugu Dlamini the brave AIDS activist who was killed on revealing her HIV status must encourage us all to support and protect those who speak out against AIDS.
Women's Partnership Against AIDS
The Deputy President identified 5-sectors to engage in partnership against AIDS namely, media, labour, business, religions, women, youth, sport and entertainment. Women in Partnership Against AIDS is a joint initiative of government and civil society and forms one of the five key partnerships in the national campaign 'Partnership Against AIDS' which was launched by the Deputy President on 9 October 1998.
The Women In Partnership Against AIDS has developed a two year campaign called operation 'Vusa Isizwe! - Restore the Nation' aimed at encouraging the mobilising of and organising of women at all levels of society to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
A national structure in the form of a management committee compromising of government and civil society has been established to drive the campaign and planned projects and programmes. This structure has been replicated in the provinces. Organs of civil society and government structures have been approached to coordinate campaign efforts at this level.
Objectives
The main objectives of 'Vusa Isizwe' are identified over the next two years as the following:
`On the Right Tracks'
The train `On The Right Tracks' is an innovative way to raise awareness and give high visibility to the AIDS pandemic. For the first time we can reach deep rural areas where the communication of such issues is generally poor. We need to reach these communities particularly during this campaign.
`On the Right Tracks' will be formally launched on the 4 March in Pietersburg and will commence it's journey through to the following provinces: Northern Province, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern and Western Cape.
The train will take the form of a moving conference which will include interactive discussions on HIV/AIDS and engage approximately 75 delegates from government, women organisations, the media, senior political office bearers including cabinet ministers and MEC's and stakeholders organisations from throughout the country. The conference will through stop-overs engage and workshop local communities around a broad range of issues related to HIV/AIDS and `Violence Against Women'.
The `moving conference' will culminate in a major event organised at
one of the largest train stations in Cape Town on the 8 March at 14:00 to mark International Women's Day. The Women's Millennium Pledge resulting from the moving conference will be handed over at this function.
Why Women's Partnership?
Women have in the past taken a stand and rallied together to fight injustices and deep prejudices. Women walked up to 20 miles per day in the Bus Boycott in 1957, in the Potato Boycott in 1959 and the march to Union Buildings in 1958. Women must mobilise themselves to fight AIDS together with men.
Biologically, women are more vulnerable and susceptible to becoming infected with the HIV virus. Socially, women's choices and power for negotiating safe sex in their own households is limited. Economically, the real impact of the disease will be felt in poorest communities and households, ultimately it will be women who suffer the effects of this disease.
We have to recognise that the imbalances in basic human relations, prejudices and taboos, lack of equal opportunities and socio-economic conditions have left women less protected against the disease. The fight against HIV/AIDS is an assertion of human rights in that it reaffirms and strengthens the rights and powers of women to make personal decisions and freely participate in social and family life. The fact that women are educated, informed and free to decide what to do with their lives constitutes an effective weapon in the fight against health problems such as HIV/AIDS.
Women's Partnership Against AIDS seeks the firm and unwavering commitment of all women, and the partnership of men to act to the utmost of their capacities to bring effective solutions to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. Women in all walks of life are encouraged to start to organise themselves to play a more active role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Sustainable programmes aimed at empowering women to fight this battle at grassroots level are essential. Men must be encouraged and drawn in as partners in this fight. This single message must reach women: 'Women network, mobilise, unite and organise for immediate mass action against HIV/AIDS.
Conclusion
This campaign is not about events, it is an opportunity to unpack various projects and programmes in Government. Voter Registration also coincides with this campaign and will give women an opportunity to register for the elections. Women must play a central role in this fight against HIV/AIDS and therefor the campaigns should be sustainable and ongoing.
Statement by:
Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, MP
Minister for Welfare and Population Development