[Vision2020] 03-30-05 NY Times: When Marriage Kills

[Fiat Lux]

Greetings Compassionate Visionaries,

We can all agree, the HIV-AIDS epidemic in Africa is
tragic.  It  will surely be a long process toward an
effective, collective recovery.  Things will no doubt
remain grim for a while.  I am wondering, how do the
dollar amounts of aid contributions from countries
other than the US and from organizations other than
US-based compare?  I've tried but I am having trouble
locating the numbers.   Maybe if the US is doing it
all wrong,  it would be better to curtail our aid
efforts and let some other country take the helm.   

The NYT criticizes the Bush administration for not
providing condoms to married women, but one might
easily conclude that prostitution and being some
married guy's girlfriend are right up there with
marriage in the "deadliest things a woman can do"
category.

The NYT piece cites as effective, a U.S.-financed
center for young people that provides condoms to
prostitutes and truck drivers. 

"One prostitute in the program is Mavis Sitwala, an
orphan (probably because of AIDS) who is supporting
her five siblings and one child. She says that truck
drivers pay $1 for sex with a condom or $4 for sex
without."  

Ms. Sitwala admits she takes the highest price in
order to feed her siblings and her child (no mention
of her husband).  What message is the Bush
administration sending to these women when by
supporting and encouraging their prostitution?  In
this situation, these women are likely to bear more
fatherless children, contract HIV (regardless of their
access to condoms) and possibly leave their children
as orphans, only to perpetuate the cycle.  This plan
is also lacking in soundness, and far from
"prudishness".

I have great sympathy for the plight of Mrs. Sibanda
and her daughter.  It is sad that women in Africa (or
any country) have husbands that do not value marital
fidelity.  If only we could convince married men all
over the world to give up their fancy for sex with
women other than their wives...  

It is not as if unfaithful husbands (or truck drivers)
in Africa are unaware of the existence, usage and
purpose of condoms, they just choose not to use them,
as the NYT op-ed piece explains:

"...there's a disdain for condoms in many countries
that social marketing might change (there's an African
saying: "Who wants a sweet with the wrapper still
on?").   

What would it take to alter deeply rooted cultural
ideas and values?   I guess the Bush administration
really needs to fund a big old pro-condom ad campaign.
 Imagine the promo pictures  and slogans...  "Wrap it
up,  then take me."  

Just what is it anyway that obligates or entitles the
US to go into African countries and impose our
cultural values as it pertains to marital fidelity or
condom use?  Isn't this line of thinking somehow
similar to going into Iraq or Afghanistan and
upsetting their way of doing things there?  Ours may
be a health promoting medical objective in Africa, but
it is laced through with cultural implications and
unintended consequences.  

Can't win for trying,
Fiat Lux


		
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