Till Death Do Us Part: Marriage of Young Girls Dooms Zambia's HIV Response

This news feature story from the Panos Talking Point website discusses the traditional practice of early marriage in Zambia. According to a United Nations Children's Fund publication, in 2005, 42 per cent of women between the ages of 15 and 24 years were married before the age of 18. The article cites economic poverty as a major factor in arranged marriages, which frequently benefit parents of girls. The practice, as described here, results in an elevated level of HIV infections among Zambian women.

The feature describes the arranged marriage of a Zambian 16-year-old that resulted in abuse, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and a tuberculosis (TB) infection. Despite the benefits received by her parents from her husband, including food and financial support, the woman left her matrimonial home and became a peer educator on HIV and AIDS, made her status public, and works to put an end to the practice of early marriages.

As observed by the author: "Zambia’s HIV prevalence rate was reduced from 16 per cent to 14.3 per cent between 2001 and 2007. About 200,000 people in need of antiretrovirals [ARTs] are now accessing the treatment.

Abstinence, fidelity and condom use are being promoted with renewed vigour as cardinal prevention strategies. Male circumcision has recently generated a lot of hope as another prevention tool. Research on the use of microbicide gels brings hope that that such gels can act as a barrier to HIV infection in women and empower them.

Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is being promoted as the only way to secure ART treatment and support. VCT Day is commemorated annually on June 30.... Though the previously oppressive levels of stigma and discrimination are declining slowly, Zambia still remains one of the country’s worst affected in the region because of the high HIV prevalence rates."

As stated here, the impact of HIV infections on women is particularly acute because of their social and economic vulnerability. "....With high poverty levels, women can be easily coerced into having unprotected sex by men who have money. Women are exposed to HIV as they have no choice but to submit to demands for sex in exchange for money.... As a first step to prevent new infections more women need to be educated and become economically independent. And, more men need to join the fight against HIV."

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