something of substance (p1)

 

Welcome to my something of substance series! I’m learning about HIV and since this blog is me, I’m going to write & rant about it. This is part one, enjoy!

 

Half of my degree is development, which means a whole lot and basically nothing at all simultaneously. Add the word ‘development anthropology’ and the usual response is a polite smile and quick change of conversation. 

I’m still not really sure what I study, or how to define it – but in a nut shell (cashew preferably, do they have shells? pistachio a close second if not), it’s a gooey mixture of cultures and how they change, global inequality and why the world is the way it is; what that looks like, why it’s like that, what’s been done about it, and all in all; why on earth it isn’t working very well. 

or peanuts, if you can find no other to photograph.

In any one week I can study global economic patterns, rural Papua New Guinean gift giving ceremonies, United Nations legislature, the spatial nature of disease, and the ins and outs of female genital mutilation; I’ve written essays on all these topics, and these just scratch the surface. In any one week I can be bored, confused, excited, depressed, disgusted and completely overwhelmed; by both the state of the world and the great and horrid possibilities that exist within it (and, often – the ridiculous amounts of reading I have to do). 

exhibit A.

The topic of HIV and AIDS comes into a surprising number of my subjects, which has – of course – been invaluable to me. And now, I conclude (in the only way I can, as a 20 something year old student who knows really nothing outside of academics) that HIV is not just a medical, not just a social justice, and not just an individual issue; but a development one, and a global one.

The statistic that really kicks me in the gut when it comes to HIV, is that over 95% of new infections occur within the developing world. It can not then, by that fact alone, be justified in any way as simple. Or purely personal. It’s a global issue, deeply embedded in a whole lot of other things. As I’ve written in many a paper; it’s roots run deep. And the thing about these roots (are you ready for this metaphor?) is that they are often left unseen, unless you, like I, go digging for them. Grab a trowel and join me in the dirt. 

life.

Therefore, HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment is now viewed much more as a holistic rights-based exercise; moving away from traditional biological and physiological approaches and focusing more on issues of inequality and socio-political factors (okay, so I spotted at least 5 unnecessarily wordy words in that sentence. I am so sorry. Here are 5 to compensate: lol, cos’, nah, righto’, yous) .

To expand (to put the ‘e’ in sexy paragraph): Since the 1950’s, the increased interaction of bodies and ideas around the globe (in part due to the processes of globalization) have facilitated the rapid spread of HIV and AIDS around the world. This spread however has not been equally distributed amongst the ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ worlds and thus, HIV reinforces the spatial nature of global inequality, and the need for holistic and international development initiatives.

Translation: people and ideas are increasingly on the move, and with that - disease spreads.  The catch being – not evenly. Or I would add, fairly.

By understanding the human body as deeply embedded in both historical and social frameworks, it is very easy to view the unequal distribution of HIV infection around the globe as a form of ‘structural violence’; and thus largely outside the realm (or fault) of the individual.

Context! Structural violence is an idea coined by an amazing thinker man named Paul Farmer. He believes that what happens in the world (namely unequal disease spread – he’s a Dr) is a result not of pathogens and virus’s and the misuse of tissues, but rather much wider global, economic, historical and social factors – like wars, colonization, the World Bank, and oh so much more. End context (but you should read his stuff, I’m a fan).

Reality and point is, for one quarter of the world, living in a state of absolute poverty is the single greatest determinant of their health status, and thus – susceptibility to HIV (will you look at that? I’m like a magazine! Bolding the parts I think are important. How bold of me. Get it? I’m hilarious). But, see how we’re pulling HIV out of the individual realm and into the global? This pulls HIV into the sphere of world development, as not just a biological and physiological disease but a social issue, and dare I say it again; a global issue.

Reality: the worlds poor are unequally exposed to fatal diseases, and they are also the least likely to receive information on prevention and access to testing and treatment once infected. This is unjust. 

On the most basic level, those living in developed countries have access to conditions which foster disease prevention; such as health care information, clean water, nutritious food, medicine, health subsidies, income stability and sanitation.

my toilet!

 On the other hand, those living in poverty are without these things; thus making them more susceptible to the spread of disease, including HIV. In Africa, for example, HIV has now become the biggest hindrance to development. Not only does it pool government money away from things like infrastructure improvement and industry expansion, but it also has the power to debilitate previous development successes; such as increased life expectancy and decreased child mortality rates (got this info from a guy called Cheru – promise I’m not making it up!).

In the contemporary era of development; this has called for the intersection of HIV and a rights-based development perspective. The access to various basic human-rights are now brought into question when combating HIV and AIDS; including

 Furthermore, the discrimination against and stigmatization of people with HIV and AIDS is considered a human-rights violation; and thus a good place to start in the fight against the virus itself. This is because, this stigmatization has often led to the spread of infection, as individuals are disinclined to seek testing initially, and treatment if infected. It is in these forms of arenas that HIV and AIDS, sexuality and human-rights meet and are addressed through development. 

HIV campaign poster in PNG.

I could write for days about this! But, I have to go to bed, and that’s probably a more then sizeable chunk for one day. Did you learn something? I hope so. Just as HIV is a global issue (if you haven’t got that message by now, I have failed. majorly) it needs a global solution and I’m stoked to be a little tiny part of that. 

Join me?