Women in India: The Context and Impact of HIV/AIDS

ABSTRACT

The response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the Indian subcontinent has been hampered by several factors, including societal stigma, lack of educational resources, lack of economic opportunities, and the competing priorities for a nation just growing and developing an infrastructure for education, industry, and health. In particular, Indian women are silent victims in this epidemic because they do not readily have a respected voice in decision making and priority setting for the government. The epidemic is increasingly affecting and infecting Indian women (e.g., female commercial sex workers, married women, and pregnant women). The status of Indian women has placed them at extreme disadvantage because India is a country with socially progressive laws but has been slow to change its social norms. The reported HIV prevalence is low although many researchers agree a large amount of underreporting occurs. For India to address this emerging epidemic among women appropriately, it should focus on three intervention areas: (1) short-term solutions such as treatment options for those already infected with HIV to prevent further infection to sexual partners and children; (2) intermediate solutions such as education for those who are uninfected but engaging in behaviors that may put them at risk, such as injection drug use, engaging in commercial sex work, engaging in extramarital sexual relations, and having sexual partners who are not monogamous; and 3) long-term solutions such as addressing the root causes of inequality (e.g., disparities in education and employment and unwillingness to change social norms).

KEYWORDS:

• India
• women
• HIV/AIDS

Notes

Indicorps is a non-partisan, non-religious, non-profit organization that encourages Indians around the world to actively participate in India's progress.

*The views expressed by the authors in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Indicorps.

^aHigh prevalence states are cited as such because the HIV prevalence rates exceed 5% among high-risk groups and exceed 1% among antenatal women.

^bModerate prevalence states are cited as such because the HIV prevalence rates exceed 5% among high-risk groups but less than 1% among antenatal women.

^cLow prevalence states are cited as such because the HIV prevalence rate is less than 5% in high risk groups, and less than 1% among antenatal women.