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In our western world, HIV/AIDS has become a pretty well-contained situation that can be treated perfectly well with medication. But there are parts of the world like Africa, Latin America, Asia, and even Russia when access to proper medication is practically non-existent. This is a major cause of gender inequality and violence against women with HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDs affects more women than it affects men. My professional life lies in HIV/AIDS research and it was only until recently that the particular research project that I work for decided to include a gender section of the research report.

I’ve been reading various articles about women, HIV/AIDS, and specifically Western Africa, and I was not surprised to see the direct correlation with HIV/AIDS and domestic violence.

Not only is violence in heterosexual married relationships directly related to the likelihood of using condoms during intercourse (which makes women vulnerable to HIV), but violence with sex workers also makes women more vulnerable to HIV. To read more correlations between gender, violence, and HIV/AIDS, the Global AIDS Alliance has a great fact sheet.

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What is Gender Mainstreaming?

The term “Gender Mainstreaming” comes from English and refers to the “integration of the sexes” or “equality policy”. The aim is to successfully implement gender equality at all levels of society. The term “Gender Mainstreaming” was first used at the third UN World Women Conference in Nairobi in 1985.

Ten years later, at the fourth World Women Conference in Beijing, the term was propagated. Gender mainstreaming became widely known in 1997/1999 when the Amsterdam publishing house appointed the concept of the officially recognized focus of the European Union’s gender equality policy.

Gender mainstreaming is often confused with classical women’s policy and interpreted as one and the same, but this is not correct. Gender mainstreaming differs from explicit women’s policy in that within the framework of gender mainstreaming, both sexes, i.e. male and female, are to be integrated equally into the holistic concept design.

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Britain is a country full of foibles, idiosyncrasies and outright bizarre behavior. Not just to the outside world, you understand. Sometimes, stuff that goes on in one part of the country bamboozles people who live in another part. Take a browse through these articles and learn more about what makes the Brits tick.

Chairman, Chairwoman or Chair? The Weighty Issue of Gender-Specific Language

The debate rages on. Yet this problematic word derives from history when the male of the highest status would be seated for weighty debates. The remainder of the elders would stand, thus signifying the seated male’s importance. Yes, the word “chairman” means seniority. It means importance. It means twiddle yer forelock, unworthy wretches. It means – bloke!  Women just didn’t hack it as decision-makers in those bad old days.

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