Empowering 500 Rwandan women living with HIV/AIDS

Promoting gender equality and empowerment of women is essential to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of leaving no one behind. Women and girls with disabilities experience double discrimination, which places them at higher risk of gender-based violence, sexual abuse, neglect, maltreatment and are at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDs.

It is against this backdrop that Human Rights First Rwanda Association and other partners ahead of the disability global summit to be held in the UK on the 24^th July 2018 have been bringing the issues of women with disability at the forefront showcasing their plight and asking the Government of Rwanda to consider them as a special group of women and also to change laws to particularly and severely punish people who perpetrate Sexual Gender based violence to them.

A lot of shame and stigma is associated with women who have disability and in case they are raped and contract HIV/AIDS the family or guardians do conceal it and they are not accorded the proper care or Medication.

Like any other person, persons with disabilities require information on HIV/AIDS and access to programmes, services, and resources. The situation of persons with disabilities is further compounded by societal barriers that hinder their full and effective participation in society, including access to education. Despite the growing relationship between HIV/AIDS and disability, persons with disabilities have not received sufficient attention within national responses to HIV and AIDS. Furthermore, existing HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmes generally fail to meet their specific needs.

We hope through our advocacy campaigns and engagements the plight of women with disability who are too vulnerable to contract HIV/AIDs will be realised  

Links:

• organization website

• Women with Disability being attended to (PDF)
  

Human Rights First Rwanda Association organised a two-day seminar on March 7^th and 8^th   that addressed the vulnerability of the adolescent and preadolescent girls to HIV/AIDS. The meeting was attended by over 40 participants.

The objectives of the meeting were firstly to bring together representatives of  women groups, Local leaders  and researchers to share their knowledge and experience on strategies to address sexual exploitation, abuse and vulnerability to HIV. Secondly, to come up with recommendations for a plan of action to raise  awareness of the vulnerability of girls and young women to HIV/AIDS. And lastly, to advance the recommendations of international conventions on the rights of children and young people, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child

It was pointed out that HIV/AIDS and the vulnerability of the girl child is a human rights issue and requires the use of both National legislation and international instruments as a priority action. Young girls are being infected with HIV at an alarmingly higher rate than any other age group in Rwanda because of their biological susceptibility to reproductive tract infections. Sexual activity often starts as early as 14 years, while adolescent pregnancy figures indicate that 60% of births occur to girls 17 years and under. However, the sexual exploitation, abuse and lack of negotiating power and gender discrimination against young girls further compound this situation. Where violence initiates a girl’s sexuality, it often conditions and dictates their future attitudes and perceptions of sex, limiting their desire to pursue safe sex, and reduces their self-esteem and confidence.

The seminar concluded that urgent action is required to raise young girls’ voices and rights, to highlight best practices as well as National advocacy to focus on the vulnerability of the girl child.

• Seminar pictures (DOCX)