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Discuss whether culture should be seen as a
driver of the HIV epidemic or a solution to
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curb it.

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C.S.I
Ms. Brown

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Declaration

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1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another

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person’s work and present it as one’s own.
2. Each significant contribution to and quotation in this report that I
have taken from the work(s) of the people has been attributed and has
been cited and referenced.

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3. This report is my own work.
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Discuss whether culture should be seen as a driver of the HIV
epidemic or a solution to curb it.

HIV is a virus transmitted from one person to the other through exchanging body fluids such as
vaginal secretions, semen, blood and breast milk. The most common way to contract HIV/AIDS
is through sexual contact, but it can also be transmitted by the sharing of unsterilized needles
when injecting drugs, or during childbirth and breastfeeding. As the virus reproduces, it damages
the immune system and the body becomes prone to illness and infection. There is no known cure
for HIV infection. (Cichocki, 2009) The HIV epidemic has been and still is a priority in most
developed and developing countries in the world. Millions have died in the past and have left
behind a generation of orphans all over the world due to the cultural barriers in society and other
factors including low standards of living and unavailability of the necessary drugs commonly
known as ARVs (Antiretroviral).
I strongly believe that culture has played a big part in the driving of the HIV epidemic in most
societies. Cultural barriers have been the greatest cause of the HIV epidemic’s wide spreading,
not just in Africa but in other nations all around the world. A lot of research has been done on
ways to alleviate the epidemic and the greatest challenge has been that of different cultural
beliefs, religious affiliations and gender inequalities in society. In the Western countries, such as
the U.K and the U.S.A, the highest rate of infection has been known to be associated with the
minority groups of society such as the Black people and Hispanics and Asians. This also boils
down to cultural barriers. For instance, a group called NPL in the U.K has been known to train
minority groups on the awareness of HIV / AIDS. Dr Fletcher M Phiri (2010) stated that every
year in the UK, more people from Black and Minority and Ethnic (BME) communities are
infected and affected by HIV and AIDS with women worse affected than men.

Without going any further, in Namibia, the spreading of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is believed to
be largely caused by cultural barriers in different tribes. The Herero are known to have sexual
relations within the family, for a example, an uncle and his niece can have a sexual relationship
and it is extremely encouraged in this particular ethnic group. In Kenya, a study was done on the
common widow inheritance practice in the Luo ethnic community. This cultural practice is when
a woman’s husband passes away and another man inherits her as his wife. Though it was
common in many African cultures, safe sex was and is rarely practiced in these instances. After
the study was conducted, it was found that the issue was that “some sexual behaviors that
predispose persons to contracting HIV find their focus in patterned cultural norms, where
established cultural structures fortify HIV risky sexual behavior, intervention programs designed
to modify these behaviors have achieved little” and the recommended solution was “Effective
HIV intervention programs targeting cultural practices must take cognizance of the roles these
cultures play and how their relationship with HIV is perceived. Only then would they design
programs that promote safe sex within these cultural prescriptions.” (Agot BO, Agot K, Agingu
WO, Bukusi EA 2004)
Religion is also part of culture and most religious groups where prone to contracting HIV
because of their beliefs. In Islam, a man is permitted to have more than one wife and women’s
rights are largely abused in Islam nations. The Roman Catholics were strongly against the use of
contraceptives of any form, including condoms because it would imply immorality and
disobedience in the procreation belief and expression of God’s love within a marriage. It was a
serious cause for concern because one of the most effective ways of practicing safe sex is to use
condoms; however, Pope Benedict made a public statement that condoms should be used in the
prevention of HIV/ AIDS. This ignited a public debate. Age religion editor, Barney Zwartz
(2010) stated that progressive Catholics should not get too excited. Benedict's careful strategy of
releasing his idea apparently casually in an interview rather than in a formal teaching is the
Vatican equivalent of a politician running an idea up a flagpole and seeing who salutes. If the
response is too negative, it can easily be denied as yet another "misinterpretation".

Other factors included in the cultural barriers can be the notion that it is taboo for parents or
elders in general to talk about sexual intercourse and relationships to their children or younger
generation. Gender inequality in most cultures is one of the greatest challenges where it is known
that women are still seen as the lesser in society, particularly in relationships and marriage.
Chinedurai (2010) says “the legal, social and cultural barriers are still blocking access for women
who are at an increased risk of HIV infection especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. For women over
all, access to life-preserving HIV prevention and treatment services remains limited. Changing
this means expanding the coverage of services and tackling the barriers such as stigma and
discrimination which inhibit women from using condoms”. A woman cannot voice out an
opinion to her male partner as this is seen as disrespect, even in terms of sexual intercourse,
where she may have to ask for her partner to use a condom. It is also believed that a woman who
insists on using condoms or keeps condoms within her reach is promiscuous. Garai Garapasi
(2008) states that in Sub Saharan Africa, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has infected 58% of women
through violation of their rights. Nonetheless, there are other factors besides cultural barriers that
contribute to the spreading of HIV; there could be poverty, warzone areas, lack of safe sex
resources, limited campaigns and sex education and ignorance.

Finally, as much as cultural barriers contribute to the spread of HIV, they can also largely and
effectively contribute to curbing the virus through campaigns and sex education using a cultural
approach. Comminit (1999) talked about how international organizations, UNESCO and
UNAIDS began working to develop "a cultural approach" to HIV/AIDS prevention education
and apply it to strategies, policies, projects, and fieldwork globally in 1998. All the projects,
strategies, policies, communication initiatives, programmes and educational tools had to be
culturally appropriate to the population being addressed, in order to effectively encourage
behaviour change. They also found that arts and creativity are effective educational tools for the
prevention of HIV/AIDS, as long as they are seen to be also culturally appropriate. This was a
big leap in curbing the HIV/AIDS epidemic because a lack of openness, in many societies,
regarding sexuality, male-female relationships, illness and death - all of which are taboo subjects
deeply rooted in the cultures was the cause of ineffective campaigns and sex education.
Bibliography

Garapasi, G. 2008. The Golden Trash. Canada: Trafford Publishing.

Communit. 1999. Cultural approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Retrieved 13 March 2011 from
https://www.comminit.com/en/node/128035/38

NPL. 2010. Sexual Health and HIV Training Services for Black and Minority Ethnic Communities in the
UK Retrieved 13 March 2011 from (https://www.naz.org.uk)

Agot BO, Agot K, Agingu WO, Bukusi EA. 2004. Meeting Abstracts: International Conference on AIDS:
Recognizing and addressing tensions between culture and HIV prevention: Lessons from a study on
widow inheritance. Retrieved 13 March 2011 from http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?
f=102283411.html

Zwartz, B. 2010. Pope moves debate over condoms. Age Religion editor. Retrieved 13 March 2011 from
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/condom-is-out-of-the-bag-but-use-is-still-open-to-
debate-20101122-182sv.html

Cichocki, M. 2009. What is AIDS? Retrieved 13 March 2011 from

http://laughsrx.boomja.com/index.php?ITEM=89812

Chinedurai. 2010. Cultural barriers prevent Zambian women from protecting themselves against HIV.
Retrieved 13 March 2011 from http://healthdev.net/site/post.php?s=7171