HIV/Aids Africa

Zimbabwe’s forgotten
children
As the world focuses on the upcoming Zimbabwean
elections, the UNICEF has released startling new statistics that call for
politicians and donors to defend children as rigorously as they defend
democracy.Despite the world?s fourth-worst rate of HIV/AIDS and the highest rise
in child mortality of any nation, Zimbabweans receive just a fraction of the
donor funding compared to other countries in their region.?The world must
differentiate between the politics and the people of Zimbabwe,? said UNICEF
Executive Director Carol Bellamy speaking in Johannesburg. ?Every day children
in Zimbabwe are dying of HIV/AIDS, every day children are becoming infected,
orphaned, and forced to leave school to care for sick parents. The global
generosity towards tsunami victims was inspiring, but it has dried up for
Zimbabwean children who are facing a deadly crisis every day of their
lives.?Bellamy said that in the financial year 2004/5 Zimbabwe received little
or no HIV/AIDS funding support from the main donor initiatives.In southern
Africa, the area most devastated by HIV/AIDS, the average annual donor spending
per HIV-infected person among these three initiatives was US $74. In Zimbabwe
the figure is just $4.In Zambia, a country with slightly lower HIV rates than
Zimbabwe, donors give US $187 per HIV-positive person, in Namibia $101, in
Uganda $319, and in Eritrea $802.Overall, donor support for Zimbabwe is also far
lower than any other country in the region. The World Bank estimates that
Zimbabweans receive US $14 per capita, from both official development assistance
(ODA) and official aid from the World Bank, the IMF, other international
organizations and from individual nation donors. This is less than one-quarter
of what Namibians ($68) receive, and around 12 percent of those in neighbouring
Mozambique ($111).Despite the dearth of funds, Zimbabwe is making inroads in the
fight against HIV/AIDS and rising child mortality. UNICEF, in concert with the
rest of the UN family, is providing community support to counselling and
psychosocial support for 100,000 orphaned children, and has provided assistance
by achieving a national measles coverage of 95 per cent.This progress has
occurred thanks to critical and direct support from the UK?s Department for
International Development, the European Commission and the Norwegian, Dutch,
Japanese and German governments.Despite the current political climate, Zimbabwe
is one of but a few countries with a National Plan of Action for Orphans and
Vulnerable Children (OVCs) adopted by government. UNICEF is responsible for
overall UN co-ordination of the OVC response and is supporting implementation
across Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is the only country in Africa which has instituted a
3% tax levy to mobilize domestic resources for fighting HIV/AIDS, child health
and nutrition, quality basic education for all boys and girls, access to clean
water and sanitation, and the protection of children from violence,
exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions
of governments, businesses, foundations and individuals.

Reports from the Women and Child Protection Unit
in Windhoek indicate that the percentage of children who are raped and sexually
abused is much higher than any other violence committed against children. But
communities are now much more aware of the possibilities and dangers of children
being sexually abused or molested and report it more often compared to previous
years.?Children become victims of crime when they are physically, mentally and
or emotionally affected by crime against them or crime in their immediate
surroundings? said Amanda Kruger, the director of LifeLine/Childline Namibia.
The high levels of poverty caused by the AIDS pandemic add to the vulnerability
of children. Statistics of children as victims of crime from a supplement of the
United Nations Children?s Fund (UNICEF) to the State of the World’s Children
Report 2005 are showing an increase in this problem. According to the UNICEF
supplement, ?childhood is meant to be the best years of life – years of joy and
free of worries. For many children this is not the case; instead their childhood
is characterised by suffering and hardships.?LifeLine/Childline visits all
Windhoek primary schools (Grade 3) annually, but visits rural schools once only
and covers the entire primary schools to teach and sensitise them about the
possibilities of crimes against children. The organisation has been running this
programme since 1998, and they believe that in order to stop sexual abuse of
children, the focus must be on prevention.?Awareness-raising campaigns and
public discourse on gender, power relations and children’s rights are crucial in
this regard,? says UNICEF.Kruger said that there were cases were teenage boys
sexually abuse and even rape younger children. But Kruger says that directly
referring cases like that to the police is not good as these young offenders get
locked up with elders who rape or abuse them, and this does not help the
situation but just adds to the problem.?By trying to end or minimise the
problem, we try to counsel the children, as some of these kids might have been
abused themselves?, said Kruger. Social workers from various ministries and the
Women and Child Protection Unit also assist in the cases of children who become
victims of crime. Childline/Lifeline has a focused programme on 8 to
12-year-olds, in an educational drama called ‘feeling yes/feeling no’. This
programme is there to teach children about general life-skills like prevention
of HIV/AIDS and domestic violence, and is sponsored by USAID and
Kindernothilfe.?In Namibia and other southern African countries, a complex
crisis is emerging, consisting of the worsening of HIV/AIDS, deepening food
insecurity and weakening capacities at national, communities and household
levels. While the country has enjoyed peace since its Independence in 1990 and
armed conflict has not been a threat to Namibian children, other forms of
violence in the society and within families, particularly sexual violence, are
of concern?, warns UNICEF.LifeLine/Childline, with the support of Pepsi, will
add a puppet programme still in progress for children aged 4 to 7 years, the
most vulnerable group, said Kruger. The organisation has various drama shows to
sensitise the children on how to protect them from rape, drugs, sugar daddies
etc. There is also child prostitution, parents who sell their children for cash,
an action caused by poverty.

The highlight for this year?s celebration of World
Health Day on 7 April, was that ?2005 is a critical year for maternal, newborn,
and child health … We have an opportunity to focus global attention on what
should be obvious: every mother, and every child counts?, said the World Health
Organisation’s (WHO) Director General, Dr Lee Jong-wook.Too many mothers and
children in the world were dying or suffering from the effects of ill-health,
poor nutrition and inadequate health care. In developing countries, pregnancy
and childbirth were one of the leading causes of death for women of reproductive
age, the director general said.World Health Day was a unique opportunity to
raise awareness of this needless tragedy and of the efforts needed by all to
ensure life and good health among these precious members of society. According
to a toolkit issued by the WHO, ? ? when a mother is sick or dies, her
productive contribution to the home, workforce, economy and society is lost, and
the survival and education of her children are jeopardised?.The WHO warns
further that not enough mothers and children were receiving existing and
affordable life-saving interventions. The WHO millennium development goals
identify the actions needed across many different fronts for social and economic
development. The goals are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve
universal primary education, promote gender equality and to empower women,
reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS and other
diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and to develop a global
partnership for development.According to the WHO, everyone was responsible for
making a difference – the global community, governments, other concerned parties
and individuals. The global community, through international aid and global
health policies should support co-ordinated actions across different programmes
and sectors. Governments could develop comprehensive policies, strategies and
plans for ensuring universal access to appropriate and effective
health-promoting and life-saving interventions. This should include ways of
mobilising national partnerships that aim to bring health services to
communities, as well as to strengthen both home-care practices and
health-seeking behaviour.Other concerned parties (non-governmental
organisations) including professional bodies, academic institutions and the mass
media had crucial and complementary roles to play. Individuals could inform
themselves and practice behaviours that ensure the health of their families, the
WHO said.

The
University of Namibia and the Polytechnic of Namibia jointly sponsored the Teach
Your Very Best conference held at the Safari Court Conference Centre, last
week.The three-day course included presentations from guest speakers such as Dr
Chrissie Boughey from Rhodes University, Dr Karin Sandell, Ohio University,
Prof. Sharma and Prof. Ploghoft from Clark Atlanta University and Ohio
University respectively.In his welcoming remarks and opening address, Pro-vice
Chancellor of the University of Namibia, Professor Lazarus Hangula said that the
conference could not have come at a better time as both tertiary institutions
involved in the event are currently facing several challenges. These include the
need to increase human resources, expand libraries, develop agricultural
training, science and technology training, good governance and better distance
education. Also the need to promote research, develop information technology,
promote partnership, address HIV/aids, and meet rising expectations, he
said.About 150 lectures and professors attended.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy has taken cognisance of the impact of HIV/AIDS and this has lead to the ministry creating a platform for information sharing and dissemination to increase awareness among its staff members.?We value our human capacity strongly and therefore commit ourselves to taking every step and measure possible to prevent and protect them from this pandemic,? said mines minister Erkii Nghimtina on Thursday during an HIV/AIDS information-sharing day for staff at the ministry in Windhoek.The minister said the main target of the pandemic are young and energetic people, which means Namibia is losing a great number of able workers.?The impact of HIV/AIDS is well documented and plainly visible in all corners of our society, and yet people seem not to take it seriously,? a concerned Nghimtina said.Official statistics indicate that the population between the ages of 20 and 29 is the hardest hit. The mines minister added that even people as young as 15 and some as old as 60 years have been hospitalised for HIV/AIDS.?Dear colleagues; it is indeed a very sad and unfortunate statistic that seems to envelop each and every one sitting here today. It is in this spirit that I would like to mention that this pandemic threatens every one; young and old in our society?, said Nghimtina.The minister called on staff to fully participate in the fight against the pandemic in one way or the other, ?because by so doing we will be able to jointly create and build up our understanding.?

Small and micro
enterprises have often been credited in recent times with the potential for
jumpstarting the local economy. One of the ways to promote these micro
enterprises is to provide facilities for local informal markets were small
business people can sell their services and wares. One of the best known of
these facilities is the Omatara Market in Oshakati.At last week?s inauguration
ceremony for Oshakati Premier Electric, Dr Nicky Iyambo, Minister of Regional
and Local Government and Housing, deviated from his written speech to address
the topic of Omatara Market.?Omatara has to move!? said the minister in no
uncertain terms. He said that if anybody had any problems with this reality,
then, ?do not bother anybody else, come and bother me!?The minister highlighted
the fact that town lands are regulated by laws which it is the responsibility of
the local town council to uphold. Dr Iyambo said that the open market in
Oshakati does not fulfil the health and safety requirements set out by law,
pointing out in particular that Omatara has no ablution facilities. He told a
story from his personal experience, which involved a visit to the market, and an
old woman who relieved herself no more than a few meters from him, in order to
illustrate the seriousness of the problem.The minister said that the market must
be moved to a safer place and said that his ministry is busy investigating
solutions to the situation. He also said that the ministry has already called
for the construction of sewerage facilities for the market in the interim.Other
issues raised by the minister in what he called his main speech, the part were
he deviated from the written version, included his ministry?s campaign against
HIV/Aids. The minister also noted the continuing practice in rural areas of
evicting widows from their fields and property by the families of their deceased
husbands. He said that this practice is against the law and must stop. The
minister pointed out that in some cases community leaders were allocating erven
for use by businesses and in residential areas. He said that this is the
responsibility of the relevant local authority. In the Oshakati area, he said,
the law is clear, this is the right of the Oshakati Town Council.Finally the
minister noted that in the time since independence, 13 towns have been
proclaimed. He said that this was a particular achievement, especially
considering that the process for proclaiming a town takes some 3 years. He said
that now is the time for consolidation and formalising existing structured. He
said that what is needed now is integrated development.

A New Start VCT Centre has been opened at
Keetmanshoop. The centre is for voluntary testing and counselling for HIV/AIDS
victims in Keetmanshoop. The centre was built by the government with help from
the US government and Catholic AIDS Action. According to the Ministry of Health
and Social Services, the HIV/AIDS infection rate at Keetmanshoop was estimated
at 16.3% among pregnant women. Namibia has one of the highest HIV rates in the
world, with an estimated 19.8% of the adult population infected.At the official
opening of the New Start VCT Centre in Keetmanshoop (from left) Gary Newton,
Mission Director for USAID to Namibia; Hendrik Witbooi, former Deputy Prime
Minister, and his wife Sofia Johanna and Hilma Nicanor, councillor for the
Keetmanshoop constituency, pose for a photo.

?We have the right to choose.? This was the key message women conveyed when
they marching against the alleged sterilisation of HIV-positive women in state
hospitals this week.Rosa Namises of Women?s Solidarity Namibia, said the alleged
sterilisation of women without their consent is a gross violation of human
rights.?Together, we as Namibian citizens are standing up against human rights
abuse because this issue does not only affect the women who were sterilised or
those living with HIV. It is a gross violation against all women, our
communities and our constitutional rights! These violations are happening to
vulnerable women who come to public hospitals for help and it can happen to you
or someone close to you. We have to do our part in calling for an end to the
alleged sterilisation of our women without their informed consent,? said
Namises.According to the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC), the first reports of
forced sterilisation surfaced in 2007. These reports state that women seeking
medical care were subjected to sterilisation without informed consent at state
hospitals in two of the 13 regions in the country.Since February 2008, 15
individual cases have been discovered.In a petition addressed to the Minister of
Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, civil society organisations called
on the government not to tolerate the violation of any woman?s rights and that
it should respect people?s choices to make free and informed healthcare
decisions.?We believe that numerous human rights have been violated, including
those guaranteed and protected under the Namibian Constitution and International
treaties. These include, but are not limited to, the right of liberty and
security of the person, to health, to family including reproductive health, to
family planning, to privacy, to equality, to freedom from discrimination and to
life. The government must send a clear message that it will not tolerate the
violation of any woman?s rights and that the government respects one?s choices
to make free and informed healthcare decisions, particularly in regards to
reproductive choices,? the organisations state.The ?End forced sterilisation?
campaign is organised by the LAC, Women?s Leadership Centre, AIDS Rights
Alliance for Southern Africa, Women?s Solidarity Namibia and the
International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS.Civil society
organisations such as Sister Namibia and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre
are also involved in the campaign.The ?End forced sterilisation? campaign
is aimed at raising public awareness regarding forced sterilisation and to seek
compensation for the affected women. The LAC will be litigating on behalf of six
women who were allegedly sterilised without their consent at the Katutura State
and Windhoek Central hospitals respectively. The case will be heard in the High
Court.

Zambians face food crisis
(IRIN) – After two years of surplus agricultural
production, Zambia has experienced a dramatic downturn and will need significant
international assistance, said James Morris, the UN Secretary-General’s Special
Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa.Prolonged dry spells during the
last growing season had resulted in crop yields being reduced by up to 90% in
some districts, the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement at the end of
Morris’ two-day visit to the country.”Zambia has made progress in strengthening
its agricultural output over the last two years. It is unfortunate that these
severe dry spells have had a massive impact on this year’s production. Sadly, it
is a pattern that we are seeing in many parts of Southern Africa, and widespread
relief assistance will be required,” Morris was quoted as saying.In the last two
years, Zambia produced significant maize surpluses, enabling WFP to purchase
over 150,000 mt (worth US $30million) of food for its aid programmes in other
parts of southern Africa.Jo Woods, a WFP spokeswoman in the capital, Lusaka,
told IRIN that the downturn in agricultural production was “really due to the
lack of rain”.”Most people used fertiliser this year; farm subsidies were
provided by the government; people were using conservation farming methods. They
had a good go at doing things right: they put the seed in at the right time –
some people replanted two or three times – but it was just the lack of rain that
was the main problem,” she said.Apart from the weather, the poor harvest was
“once again, compounded by other factors, like HIV/AIDS”.The government of
Zambia, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation, WFP, and NGOs are analysing
assessment results to determine the extent of the agricultural shortfall and the
number of people who will require assistance over the next year.

The Champions for an
HIV-Free Generation visited Namibia this week to meet with the country?s top
leaders and encourage an accelerated response to the epidemic.Led by former
president of Botswana, Festus Mogae, the champions? three-day visit included
meetings with Namibia?s President Hifikepunye Pohamba, government ministers,
leaders of civil society organizations and the media, as well as a field trip to
a community development project in Windhoek.The champions hoped to share
regional experiences in the response to HIV and discuss the scale-up of
effective HIV prevention strategies against the main drivers of the epidemic.In
addition to Mogae, Joaquim Chissano, former president of the Republic of
Mozambique; Dr. Speciosa Wandira, former vice president of Uganda; and Joyce
Mhaville, chairperson of the Steering Committee of the African Broadcast Media
Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (ABMP) also visited Namibia.More than 200,000
people are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in Namibia and the estimated HIV
prevalence is 15.3% among adults ages 15-49. The disease, which
disproportionately affects women and children, is estimated to claim more than
5,000 lives each year. Among the main drivers of the epidemic in Namibia are
multiple concurrent partnerships, low levels of male circumcision, alcohol abuse
and low and inconsistent condom use. The Champions for an HIV-Free Generation
project was launched during the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico
City. Led by Mogae as chairperson, the founding members include four former
African presidents, a Nobel Laureate, and other high-level African leaders from
different walks of life. The champions focus their efforts in Sub Sarah Africa,
home to more than two-thirds of all people living with HIV. With an emphasis on
proven prevention practices, the champions embrace and promote key policy,
legal, cultural and behavioral practices and messages that help accelerate the
social outcomes needed to achieve an HIV-free generation.