Question: Why do black women in South Africa seem to be more vulnerable to HIV infection than anyone else?

Answer: Statistics show that black people have a high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. Sub - Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence in the world. People most infected and at risk are those within the economically active population. It would also seem that black women between the ages of 15-49 years who are of child bearing age, are at the highest risk of infection. This poses the question as to why it is that black people are the most affected and as the statistics show, the most infected of all population groups?

The history of unequal distribution of wealth in South Africa, during the times of apartheid which deprived black people of basic human rights i.e.. education, housing, jobs and access to health, may be associated with the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS.

The socio-economic status of black people makes them vulnerable to infections like TB, sexually transmitted infections (STI's), and HIV/AIDS. Especially vulnerable are those who live in informal settlements as they are most likely to be poor and unemployed. They live in conditions characterised by poor infrastructure, i.e.. with no sanitation, no clean running water, or electricity in place. Overcrowding and in some areas, no ventilation promotes disease.

Within the black communities the status of women is low, which makes them vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, as they often feel the loss of power to negotiate safer sex (the use of condoms) with their partners, due to a strong cultural belief that a man is the initiator around sexual matters. Furthermore, their financial dependency on their partners makes them vulnerable.

Women living in rural areas and those working on the farms are even more vulnerable to sexually transmissible infections including HIV/AIDS, as access to health care facilities is difficult because services are minimal. In some situations such resources are non-existent. Added to these circumstances, women are deprived of finances.

In other situations the fear of stigma may result in women not disclosing the fact that they are HIV positive. In addition, biological factors increase a woman's vulnerability due to undetected STI's and the fact that sexual fluid remains within her body for two or three days and can enter the blood stream if there are any lesions due to STI's or forceful intercourse.

Movement of people seeking a better life, from one area to another, (migrant labour) makes them vulnerable to HIV as they are away from their families for long periods of time. In the case of men who, through their working situations, stay away from their wives/ families for prolonged periods of time, they may start other relationships where they often fail to practice safer sex. This further exposes both men and women to HIV/AIDS.