Inequality is the phenomenon of unequal and unjust distribution of resources and opportunities among members of a given society. There are many types of inequalities which include; wealth inequality, treatment and responsibility inequality, political inequality, life inequality and membership inequality. Inequality is mainly influenced by a number of factors like gender, age, origin, disabilities, class and religion to name a few. Studies have shown that inequality is one factor that drives the AIDS epidemic. The aim of this research is to find new effective strategies that can assist in ending inequalities.
Considering human rights is one of strateies that can help in ending inequality. Decades of research have demonstrated that human rights-based approaches addresses power imbalances and improve public health outcomes, including during crisis of a pandemic like AIDS and COVID. In the case of the AIDS pandemic the odds are stake against populations that constantly face discrimination and injustice which perpetrate the increase in their risk of acquiring HIV and that makes it difficult for them to access treatment and remain in care. These population include women and girls, gay men, transgender people, sex workers, drug users, prisoners and migrants to name a few.
The international human rights law has created obligations to ensure the right to the highest attainable standard of health, and it also promote access to information, equity and non-discrimination. However is an undeniable fact that in order for such obligations not to give undercutting results, the planning of pandemic strategies should include analysis that recognize the intersection reality of women and girls in all of their diversity-there shouldn’t be any gender imbalance, marginalized transformative and violence prevention work as part of pandemic response can address gender imbalances while increasing the effectiveness of pandemic responses.
It has been noted that the protection of human rights seem to be with the enforcement of public health orders. However most pandemics show that human rights can and public health are inextricably linked, and that human rights-based approach is critical to ensure successful public health. Thus we can clearly conclude that right-building and enabling approaches can build trust, reduce stigma and enable peace and communities to protect their health and well being, including increasing access to testing ,prevention and treatment.
To add on that poverty is also considered one among factors that drivers the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS, since it can aggravate exposure to HIV and weaken people’s ability to reduce its impact. People living with HIV are more exposed to falling into poverty and continue living in poverty which would create a cycle of vulnerability. An effective strategy that would overcome this strategy is one that would focus more on providing social interventions for people living with the virus, key populations and priority populations to diminish gender and income inequalities and eliminate social exclusion which would reduce the risk of HIV due to poverty.
Most researches have proven that almost half of the human population including women and children suffer from hunger due to inequality. This means that the available resources which including food are not shared equally among everyone and it has been seen that hunger can drastically perpetrate the spread of HIV/AIDS. Hunger, malnutrition and food security increase negative social risk management strategies and hinders ART initiation, adherence and efficacy leading to people living in hunger being more vulnerable to the epidemic. In people living with the virus, HIV weakens the immune system, impairing nutrient intake and absorption; undermine household food security by increasing stigma, reducing productivity, damaging livelihoods, and increasing morbidity and mortality. One effective strategy to tackle this problem would be prioritizing integrated food and nutrition programming and social protection interventions to address the factors that cause hunger and poverty by tackling structural deprivations, inequalities and vulnerabilities within communities and at scale, promoting robust national systems that are abroad in their reach and inclusive across diverse population groups. Addressing food insecurity and malnutrition, keeping adults earning an income and keeping children in school, helps ensure the efficacy of HIV treatment.
HIV prevention and treatment is weakened when Universal Health Coverage is not sufficient or when people do not have any access to sexual and reproductive health services. Lack of access by people living with HIV to integrated care affects the quality of life and the health outcomes. For people living with HIV, risk to non-communicable diseases, including mental health conditions increases. If women living with HIV don’t have access to health systems, they are likely to develop and die from cervical cancer rather than women who are not living with the virus. Providing HIV-sensitive Universal Health Coverage that is equitable, holistic and integrated with rights-based services for co-morbidities and other health issues experienced by people living with or at risk or affected by HIV. Investing in HIV services would strengthen health systems, including pandemic preparedness and helps reduce maternal and under 5 mortality for AIDS-related causes.
As citizens of Eswatini we would recommend that while human rights law allows for the derogation of some rights for legitimate purposes, there should be strict boundaries on where, how and to what extent rights may be limited. Any limitation must be for a legitimate aim and must be proportionate to that aim, necessary, time bound, non-arbitrary and according to law. Government should also ensure that any limitations do not result in additional human right violations. Also acknowledging people that every human has a right not only a right to live but also a right to have access to health facilities and services. Educating them about this could help a lot in overcoming any kind of stigma and discrimination the face.
Gender inequality contributes to the spread of HIV.Gender based violence due to unequal power dynamics with men,fewer resources of prevention of aids and less education about aids drive the increase of infection rates among women and adolescent girls.UNAIDS noted that AIDS is still the leading cause of death of women aged 15 to 49 years ,with roughly ,6000 young women between the ages of 15 to 24 acquiring HIV every week.As a result it is critical that female dependence on relationships,gender based violence and female illiteracy is fought.This can be done by legally initiating sections that prohibit the violence against women and empowerment of women to take action against abusers.Campaigns can also be done not only to give extensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS but also about strategies that can be used to financially strengthen women to lessen their dependence on men.Lastly, free resources for prevention should be availed to women in the rural areas as well as counselling on their use.(unwomen).Culture can also be of good use in the prevention of HIV as suggested by one scholar,.Ancient techniques of giving advice can be used such as, directing of messages to girls through grandmothers and other older women and peers to help correct false perceptions about HIV transmission and personal risk.(D Helitzer-allen ,M Makhambera How can we help adolescent girls avoid HIV infection et al Netw Res Triangle Park N C.1993 May )
Lack of education has been said to encourage the cycle of HIV/aids among people, arising from decisions concerning schooling,child bearing finances and unemployment.Educational facilities have also provided a platform to implement mitigation inititaives.This is done through the teaching of life-long skills on prevention and management of HIV to young children which influences behavioural changes in the children,addition of HIV aids to the curricula of children provides understanding on risks caused by aids and many more initiatives.The lack of education in children deprives them of opportunities to gather knowledge on the subject of aids.As a result they have inadequate information about the spread of STIs this also opens doors or creates intuitions which lead to myths rather than the actual facts.Strategies that can be fruitful in educating children are that; a country must ensure that all adolescents and children complete the full cycle of primary and lower secondary education by providing free education for all.Programs and funding at all levels should be targeted to meet the needs of most disadvantaged children,with learning environments that are safe and gender sensitive.Education of children breaks the cycle of poverty which is the major driver of most HIV/AIDS infections.
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