Botswana HIV programmes fail sexuality test - report

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Wednesday December 8, 2010 00:00

The report authored by Felistus Motimedi says that interventions increasingly communicate about HIV as if it has nothing to do with sex.

This is despite the fact that sexual activity is the main mode of HIV transmission. 'HIV/AIDS interventions also need to take into cognisance the variety of sexual identities existing in all communities in every part of the world,' says the report on the needs assessment for the prevention and research initiative for sexual minorities programme.

It says that the growing de-sexualisation of the HIV epidemic and lack of self esteem or assertiveness of Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LGBTI) communities has led to many problems such as unhealthy relationships.

'Since same sex relationships are in existence, it is necessary to conduct further studies about them in Botswana.

Government should recognise their existence and promote further research in this area,' says the report  written in collaboration with Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA).

It states that relevant policies can be formulated based on the findings of the proposed studies. It says that as the LGBTI community is recognised, government agencies will inevitably be called upon to respond and modify policies and laws accordingly.

'Perhaps same sex relationships should be dealt with legally first in Botswana to inform other aspects of initiatives and strategies in service delivery.

The public needs to be educated on LGBTI issues, that is their social, health and legal needs and the role of families and communities in this regard,' the report states. It says the adoption of a human rights based approach to health might be empowering for lesbian and bisexual women, a group that continues to suffer from double discrimination and whose health concerns are given little regard.