HIV&AIDS

Basic Situation and impacts of HIV&AIDS on the society

In South Africa a total of about 5.7 million people are infected with HIV. This is the highest number of people in one country worldwide. More than half of the people living with HIV are women (55%). They are carrying the main brunt of the epidemic and its consequences.

Problem awareness. A number of risk factors are causing the extremely high HIV prevalence rate. On the one hand, many people in Southern Africa have multiple concurrent partnerships. On the other hand, often few prevention measures are practiced. Due to their low societal status, women only have very little control of their sex life and are therefore not able to practice safe sex. They are also very often subjected to male violence. Stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV & AIDS are still very high. Access to health services is still very unequally distributed. Both factors often prevent people from finding out their HIV status.

Impact on the society. HIV&AIDS endanger the economic development and social stability of a country. The epidemic is threatening the existence of many families – it is often the main bread winner in the family who falls sick and dies first. By then, health expenditures have often used up all savings and incomes of the family. In many families children are the main carers for their sick parents. Especially children and women are at risk of economic and sexual exploitation. The health, education and personal development of the affected children is significantly limited.

Development Cooperation

HIV&AIDS is an important topic in German Development Cooperation with South Africa. It finds consideration in all programmes and projects. The German implementing organisations (DED, GTZ, InWEnt, KfW) are working jointly in a programme to support the implementation of the HIV&AIDS National Strategic Plan of South Africa. The focus of the support is prevention of new HIV infections.