Challenges Facing Tanzanian Youth in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS: Lessons Learnt from Mbeya Region, Southern Highlands

Abstract

Globally, a major agenda in health and development has been HIV/AIDS mitigation measures among the youth. This follows the prevalence of sexual activity at a younger age, a burgeoning youth population that does not attend school and high unemployment that seems to push youth into alternative life patterns that involve risks to their health. Young people in Tanzania are more exposed to HIV/AIDS due to multiple factors, ranging from lack of SRH knowledge, to socio-cultural issues and poverty. Despite the fact that all people are susceptible to HIV transmission, youth – especially girls – are at the highest risk due to gender imbalances that prevent them from having support and decision-making power. Whereas numerous studies have concentrated on urban settings through a quantitative approach, this study investigated a wide-range of socio-cultural and gender related issues in rural and urban settings of Mbeya region, through a qualitative approach. The study involved 54 respondents. Qualitative data collection techniques included in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and document review. The findings show that the majority of youth had heard about HIV/AIDS and its related effects; however, condom use, and attendance at SRH services was low. The challenges contributing to HIV/AIDS prevalence amongst youth include: lack of decision-making power; drug and alcohol abuse; inappropriate information about HIV/AIDS and SRH; and, household poverty. The study concludes that youth should be better incorporated in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the Tanzanian government should create a supportive environment to access youth use of SRH services and more effective implementation of its policies.

Keywords:

• youth
• gender
• sexual and reproductive health
• HIV/AIDS mitigation

Acknowledgements

I would like to first acknowledge the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through MEASURE Evaluation-Tanzania and MEASURE Evaluation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for funding the research that led to the development of this paper. I wish also to extend my gratitude to the Association of Development Researchers in Denmark (FAU) for providing resources to attend the 5th Joint NORDIC Conference on Development Research with the theme ‘Knowledge Production in North–South Collaboration: Challenges in an Era of New Global Divides’. I will always remain grateful for this priceless support towards advancing my career. I am also gratefully to the conference organisers who in one way or another have encouraged me to prepare this paper. I wish also to extend my gratitude to the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) management, the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and the Government of Tanzania (GoT) for granting me permission to attend the conference.

Notes on contributor

Lilian Victor Mtasingwa (PhD) is a Lecturer of Gender and Development at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Dar es Salaam. Her research interest is on Gender, Reproductive Health, Youth and Governance. Her current researches focus on adolescents’ reproductive health and gender based violence among secondary school girls.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the terms of MEASURE Evaluation–Tanzania associate award [AID-621-LA-14-00001].