Civil Society to Government: Meet international HIV/AIDS obligations

Civil Society calls on government to meet international HIV/AIDS obligations regarding sexual & reproductive health In 2001 at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS) South Africa signed the Declaration of Commitment in addressing the pandemic. Twelve of the Declaration’s goals relate to crucial aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

During the past few months a study was done to examine progress made in South Africa with these indicators and to identify gaps in the implementation of the Declaration. While South Africa has an impressive legal and policy framework, health systems challenges, lack of integration of HIV/AIDS and SRHR and implementation of services have made it difficult to overcome challenges. The study forms part of a bigger international effort through which NGOs from sixteen countries reviewed the relevant indicators in their countries.

Some twenty South African NGOs have spent the past ten months collating research and finalising a report. We believe that sexual and reproductive health and rights are not addressed sufficiently in the South African country report that will be presented at the United Nations in June We therefore urge Government to send a high level delegation that will include civil society women representatives who are sexual and reproductive health and rights champions to address the present gaps in our national response to HIV/AIDS in this area.

We call on Government to consider the findings of this research and to explore the integration of SRHR issues in relation to HIV/ AIDS through the continuum of care. This would strengthen the gains that have been made in relation to sexual and reproductive health policies and services. Our recommendations to better meet the SRHR imperatives of the UNGASS Declaration, include:

1. The need to integrate sexual and reproductive health and rights services in relation to HIV/AIDS in addressing this epidemic (for example – STI services need to deal with Violence Against Women; HIV positive women need to be afforded the choice to continue their pregnancy or to terminate.
2. Issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights for women living with disabilities need to be addressed and further research need to be done to document experiences
3. The need to strengthen the voices of HIV positive women within SANAC
4. Strengthen adult women’s treatment guidelines that include a focus on women particularly deal with the continuum of care and respects women’s choices to parenthood in treatment regimes
5. Leaders must denounce the homophobic violence against black lesbian women and take active steps to ensure the swift investigation and prosecution of offenders
6. Health facilities to offer unlimited access to SRH services for migrant and refugee women.
7. A review of the National Cervical Cancer Screening policy with specific reference to new vaccines registered and also the need to increase coverage to HIV positive women
8. We support voluntary testing of pregnant women, however attention need to be given to the barrier that mandatory/provider initiated testing imposes on women in shying away from services.
9. Increased research to explore the impact of male circumcision on women, noting that currently research only notes benefits for men.

Groups signed on
AIDS Legal Network
– Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in SA
- Centre for the Study of AIDS
- Health Systems Trust
- Ipas SA
– Mosaic Training, Service and Healing Centre for Women
- OUT LGBT Well-being
- Treatment Action Campaign
- Womensnet
- Women’s Legal Centre
- Women’s Health Research Unit, UCT
– Women’s Sector Secretariat
– SANASO
– Action AID
– NACOSA Marion Stevens
– Health Systems Trust Cell. 083 256 0825 And Marieta de Vos – Mosaic Training, Service and Healing Centre for Women Cell 082 325 8023