Women are not Victims

"Women are not victims. Their vulnerability does not stem from inherent or physical or psychological weaknesses. Their resilience in the face of hardship and difficulty must be recognised and strengthened." UNAIDS



In South Africa, death rates from natural causes for women aged 25-34 years increased five-fold between 1997-2004 and for males aged 30-44 it more than doubled.



Women of South Africa are vulnerable largely because of the behaviours of others, through their limited autonomy and external factors, including social and economic inequities beyond their control.



These women are the mothers of our children, the same children who will become a generation of orphans as the pandemic of AIDS and poverty stretches into the first three decades of the 21st century.



These orphans, the vast majority of whom will be/are HIV negative, are at enormous risk of growing up without adequate health care, food, education or emotional support.



According to The World Bank, education of children and youth merits the highest priority in a world afflicted by HIV/AIDS.



Economic prosperity and the reduction of global poverty cannot be accomplished unless all children in all countries have access to, and can complete, a primary education of adequate quality.



To participate in knowledge-driven development, South Africa needs to build its human capital especially the abilities of the women of South Africa.



The daunting vision of over a quarter of the population dying within the next 2 - 6 years is terrifying, the experience of resource-poor communities indicates that the time period between HIV diagnosis and death, in an impoverished area, can be as little as two years.



As HIV/AIDS affects the lives of million of people in South Africa, especially women, a growing sense of urgency has developed about the need to respond to the epidemic.



As former President Mandela said "AIDS IS NO LONGER A HEALTH ISSUE; IT IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE. IT IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE IF PEOPLE WHO NEED TREATMENT CANNOT GET IT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE TAXI FARE TO GET TO THE TREATMENT SITE. IT IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE IF BABIES ARE BORN WITH HIV WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED OR ARE NOT PROPERLY FOLLOWED UP AND TREATED. IT IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE WHEN PEOPLE DIE BECAUSE THEY ARE POOR. IT IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE, WHEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN GET INFECTED WITH HIV AS A RESULT OF RAPE, BAD BEHAVIOUR OF OTHERS AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE"



Support the initiative of Tangerine by uplifting the women of South Africa