Title: Women, sexuality and AIDS in Brazil.

POPLINE Document Number: 102184

Author(s):

Araujo MJ
Diniz CS

Source citation:

WORLD HEALTH, 1994 May-Jun;47(3):14-5.

Abstract:

Family planning (FP) programs have traditionally paid scant attention to the context in which sexual relations occur or to women's status in society. With the need to practice safer sex by using barrier contraceptives, particularly the condom, becoming more and more crucial in order to avoid HIV infections and other sexually transmitted diseases, the ability of women to negotiate successfully for condom use has gained attention. Men need to use the condoms to protect women, but women are often placed in social contexts which make it impossible for them to insist upon its use. Women are also placed at risk by societal norms which allow men to have many sex partners while requiring women to remain monogamous. FP programs have also placed more emphasis on high technology contraceptive methods, which foster a degree of dependency on the FP services, than on barrier methods which the women themselves could control. This is especially true in countries of the South where the emphasis is on reducing population growth. FP programs, which often represent the sole social service available to women, must reformulate their role to promote greater awareness and negotiating power in women. Women worldwide are demanding access to safe contraception and abortion and wide recognition of reproductive rights. Encouraging women to become active participants in reproductive and sexual choices will lead to radical changes in gender relations. FP policies should not only work to empower women, they should also reevaluate contraceptive methods on the basis of the risks of HIV infection and give priority to the barrier methods which combine contraception and prevention of disease.

Keywords:

Brazil
Critique
AIDS
HIV Infections
Sexuality
Gender Relations
Family Planning Programs
Women's Status
Barrier Methods
Condom
Women
Developing Countries
South America, Eastern
South America
Latin America
Americas
Viral Diseases
Diseases
Personality
Psychological Factors
Behavior
Gender Issues
Family Planning
Programs
Organization and Administration
Socioeconomic Factors
Economic Factors
Contraceptive Methods
Contraception
Demographic Factors
Population