Gender Equality, Human Rights and Its Violations in HIV Positive Women of Dakshina Kannada District-Karnataka

Abstract

Human rights are those minimum rights which are compulsorily obtainable by every individual as he/ she is a member of human family. The constitution of India also guarantees the equality of rights of men and women. However, in the sphere of women’s human rights in India, there exists a wide gulf between theory and practice. Indian society is a male dominated society where men are always assumed to be superior to society. The women in India very often have to face discrimination, injustice and dishonor. Though women in India have been given more rights as compared to men, even then the condition of women in India is miserable. Karnataka is in the “RED LIST” in the country with regard to HIV/ AIDS. It is one of country’s six high HIV/ AIDS prevalence states. Dakshina Kannada is situated in the western coastal region of Karnataka tops the AIDS chart in the states which have high incidence of HIV cases and of human rights violation in HIV. Thus the present study was planned to find the magnitude of human rights violations in HIV positive women in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka. Objectives of the study were to find out the HIV/ AIDS related discrimination/ violation of human rights in HIV positive women. To assess the nature, extent and pattern of such AIDS related discrimination/ violation of human rights.

Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among HIV positive women who were registered in few non-governmental organizations working for HIV positive women. A purposive convenient sampling method was used to select the participants. A total of 52 participants were approached to assess the degree of human rights violation through a face to face interview by trained investigators. Several human rights violations were assessed using a pre-determined pre tested questionnaire.

Results: Women living with HIV/ AIDS had experienced disease related discrimination/ violation of human rights in access to health care, personal liberty, security and privacy, right to employment and family relationship. Women also experienced different types of physical and psychological violence. 25% were treated unfairly or badly by health care workers. 38% experienced an unjustified delay in getting the testing results & receiving counseling or care.34.6% of the opinion that their personal liberty and security has been questioned like sometimes been ridiculed, insulted and threatened with violence because of their HIV status. 46.7% were not offered any treatment to reduce the mother to child transmission of HIV. 30% of the respondents were ridiculed, insulted, threatened with violence or assaulted because of HIV status. 14.3% of the respondents were forced to change their residence because of their HIV status. It was also brought to light that 62% of them lost financial support from their family due to their HIV status.

Conclusion:The fact that patients show no inhibition about the disease reveals that the stigma the disease carries is slowly disappearing. Most of them discuss their HIV status openly. The discrimination & stigma towards women still continues. Human rights violations among HIV positive women happen in one way or other. The low social status commonly associated with women was found to be exacerbated in women who were HIV positive.

HIV related discrimination remains an enormous barrier to effectively fight the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Progress has to be made in overcoming the violation of human rights by making the people aware of their rights in society. They need to be educated so that they are able to challenge the discrimination, stigma and denial that they meet in society.