Letter

Education isn’t enough

Dear healthmatters — Thank you for Sue Lucas’ piece Aids: the world’s women bear the burden in issue 7 — AIDs in Africa and not a hint of monkeys, tribal rituals or other racist sentiments so often used to enhance the West’s complacency.

Without blame, Lucas recognises women as women in their own right, not as prostitutes, drug addicts, mothers, carers or vectors of disease, and yet still details how HIV jeopardises women’s freedom in so many ways.

Yes, we all have a responsibility in preventing the spread of HIV, but, without acknowledgement of the powerless reality of many women living in poverty, isolated HIV education will do nothing more than add to the endless list of burdens already endured.

Lucas’ article will spur me on, during many a despondent moment when I am given a tokenistic one hour session to cover the myriad of issues faced by ‘women and HIV’. I shall feel validated in my decision to refuse.