From the sociologist’s point of view, HIV/AIDS has many impacts on human life. The impact of HIV/AIDS on human life can be considered as trouble which can be private or public. Some of these may not be social realities but imaginations.
Private troubles and public issues
HIV/AIDS is a threat to the social public of any economy. This needs to be looked at carefully by socialists. An HIV-positive person would face many problems. The problems for HIV include constant sickness involving small bacterial diseases, physical and emotional stress, discrimination.
HIV people facing discrimination or fearing to be discriminated against may fear those consequences making them not disclose their HIV status. Failure to disclose HIV status will lead to a worsening of his health because he does not have medical support which is necessary for the curing of HIV. Discrimination in the social setup is common in the world today. Although governments and other policymakers are trying to fight this social evil of discrimination of HIV people from the public, it is still yet to be embraced. To fight social discrimination, good socialists should ensure that civil and human rights are respected to avoid the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Where human and civil rights are not respected, people are marginalized HIV/AIDS spreads easily. Take for example the case of abuse of human rights we are watching on our television sets, CNN, in one African country, Kenya, there is gross human and civil rights abuse. We have watched CNN for the last one month, the crowding of women and children in refugees camps set by the government in a country where human and civil rights seem to have no respect. What we do not know is demographic of that country but a socialist like me who sees such kind of sceneries, I find it disturbing.
As good social lists should also ensure there is public awareness about HIV/AIDS to help them avoid sceneries of discrimination. Governments should be encouraged to promote non-discriminatory appointments, this will assist in avoiding non-discriminatory issues. People should be encouraged to talk about HIV/AIDS without fear.
It is believed that HIV/AIDS is caused by a virus scientifically. However, in some traditions, people believe HIV/AIDS is taboo and it is not a health problem. Some believe HIV/AIDS is a curse. In such situations, a socialist or a social worker needs to understand the beliefs of society so as he can be able to impart knowledge about HIV/AIDS, its causes, and effects.
Power and Inequality
HIV/AIDS is considered to be a result of gender and power. Poverty and gender inequality are considered to be the factors behind the rampant spread of HIV/AIDS. Social researchers have found out that the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is affecting women more than men. This is because women are faced with economic hardships thus ending up or becoming vulnerable to prostitution and trafficking in which they have little say about safe sex. We also get persuaded to transactional sex through entering into relationships with rich old men who do not care about HIV/AIDS for the exchange of money and other basic human needs.
Women are known to have less power in society thus they find themselves entangled in violent relationships. These violent relationships will make women not raise a finger against extramarital sex affairs which causes HIV/AIDS. This endangers women not because of their wish but because of the inequality and power which is in our society. Women form the large population of our society who are infected with HIV/AIDS. This is because of the facts mentioned. If a family member is affected with AIDS, the woman becomes a caregiver and a guardian to other family members. This shows the inequality that is being tested in our societies.
There is a stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and in our society women become the first person to be treated or to discover about the HIV/AIDS disease. This is because it is discovered during pregnant periods. After all, in some countries, HIV/AIDS test is mandatory. When discovered that she has HIV/AIDS, she is stigmatized through public targets and being accused of introducing HIV/AIDS in the family even if it was brought by a man. From the social point of view, in most societies of the world, if a man discovers that he has HIV/AIDS, he will accuse the woman of introducing AIDS. In such a situation you may find that it is the man who is promiscuous.
Given the inequality in economic resources and gender, HIV/AIDS is spreading very fast among women in places where gender inequality is not being addressed. This will be possible through women accessing knowledge and tools that will help them to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS.
Socialists should consider the modern ways of fighting inequality among women and economic resources. This will enable the spread of HIV/AIDS to reduce. The issues to be considered should include gender equality in economic resources distribution. It has been argued that where there is equal distribution of economic resources among men and women, the spread of HIV/AIDS will reduce. In her article, Professor Bina Agarwal, children’s welfare and mother’s property, argued that where a woman has properties, the children and spread of HIV will be minimized. This means any woman with property, is empowered and becomes a decision-maker. Being a decision-maker, she will be able to say no to unsafe sex or to avoid situations that require sex favors.
HIV/AIDS has many theories and stories that make even the sociological imagination or mindfulness become disregarded. For example, in a society where the belief HIV/AIDS is caused by a curse from the ancestors, it will be difficult to convince such kinds of people about the causes, effects, and consequences of HIV/AIDS. In such a situation, it will be very difficult to strengthen the environment for vulnerable rots like children, women, the disabled, and other weak members of society against the spread. Even if funds are provided to such a society, it will be extremely very difficult to convince that the fund being provided is not meant for wastage but for assisting the society.
In conclusion, a socialist should aim at promoting freedom from discrimination for HIV/AIDS victims. He should also work hard to promote freedom from injustice and violation of the rule of law for all. This will reduce cases of AIDS. he should also ensure there is freedom from fear of the HIV person, once they disclose their HIV status they should not be threatened especially on their security.
He should be able to promote policies that accord freedom of decent work without discrimination or exploitation. The potentiality of HIV/AIDS person should also be taken into consideration. There should be freedom of association in societal decision-making.
References
Odetola T. O. and Ademola A.(1994): Sociology: An introductory African Text, Macmillan.
HIV/AIDS: A threat to decent work, productivity and development, ILO, 2000.
A. Whiteside; C. Sunter (2000) AIDS: The challenge for South Africa (Human and Rousseau, Tafelberg).