What would you say if I asked you to tell me what you think is causing the death of so many people in the horn of Africa? AIDS? Starvation? War? Would it surprise you if I told you that it all boils down to the women of Africa? Kofi Annan attempts to do just this in his essay “In Africa, Aids Has a Woman's Face.” Annan uses his work to tell us that women make up the “economic foundation of rural Africa” and the greatest way for Africa to thrive is through the women of Africa's freedom, power, and knowledge.
Kofi Annan persuades his readers that Africa's fate lies in their women with several different ideas. These ideas can be condensed down to two main topics. First, women are the main agriculture workers in Africa. When the mother of a family dies her farming knowledge goes with her. This, in turn, causes farming in her family to dwindle and eventually leads to starvation. Second, when a mother dies in Africa it has a ripple effect on her family. When she dies, her children are often orphaned. Her death can also cause her older female children to drop out of school so they can help to support their family. Without proper education, these children are more likely to not know how to protect themselves against AIDS. Annan closes his essay with the hope that the problem is at least starting to get better, noting that AIDS infection rates have declined throughout Africa.
If I were asked to rewrite this essay, I would try to give more direct individual solutions to each problem that is presented. Through the use of examples, such as the issue of farming and education, I can help to draw the reader in with not only what the problems are, but possible solutions to each of these problems. Using this outline I will atte...
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...en cycle is that the female farmer of a family will contract AIDS and die. Her children will then be forced to drop out of school to start farming for their family. Dropping out of school reduces the amount of AIDS prevention education those children receive and can lead to those same children eventually contracting AIDS and dieing. With no one left with the knowledge of how to farm, their family can stave. It is an incredibly vicious cycle.
The good news is that if we act with urgency, we have a great chance to impact the lives of millions of Africans for the better. It seems obvious that, according to Kofi Annan's essay, the best way to do this is by targeting the women of Africa. Through the use of AIDS education, new drought-resistant crops, and international resources it is possible to reduce the spread of AIDS and, in turn, help to lower starvation rates.
Her memoir starts off in Darfur in 2005, where in her late 20’s, she hits rock bottom while managing a refugee camp for 24,000 civilians. It backtracks to her internship in Rwanda, while moving forward to her challenges in Darfur, in addition to her experiences in post- tsunami Indonesia, and post-quake in Haiti. By sharing her story, Alexander gives readers an opportunity to go behind-the-scenes into the devastations that are censored on media outlets. She stresses that these are often the problems that individuals claim they are educated on, but rarely make it their priority to solve. However, that is not the case for Jessica Alexander as she has over 12 years of experience working with different NGO’s and UN operations. As a result, Alexander earns the credibility to critique the multi-billion-dollar humanitarian aid industry. From her painful yet rewarding work experience, Alexander gives an honest and empathetic view of humanitarian aid as an establishment and a
Holloway’s experiences in Mali regarding childbirth and the difficulties of women shed light on the topic of ethical and moral issues in other countries. Prior to reading Holloway’s “Monique and the Mango Rains”, I had only heard about FGM and poverty in Mali. Transforming data and numbers into descriptions of people, Holloway reveals the faces and voices of the people of Mali.
...victims of war and genocide, it is admirable to see his courage to remain engaged in service to his fellow human. With a bold, yet pragmatic vision, Orbinski is unconcerned with seemingly intractable problems of finding drugs for the poorest AIDS victims. The book illustrates his desire to get the job done without bravado and grand statements. Although the book was painful to read, it takes he reader to the extreme of human suffering. Nevertheless, it also inspires with its reflections of humanitarianism and the ingenuity brought to its implementation. It is heartening to know James Orbinski can inspire students in both the arts and sciences as they set out on their careers. Since after all he’s seen, Orbinski remain optimistic, not cynical, and committed to action. Do give this book to any students in your life, after you have read it yourself.
Claire E. Sterk in her article, Fieldwork on Prostitution in the Era of AIDS, highlights the experiences of women engaged in a centuries-old profession in metropolitan Atlanta and New York City that is now plagued by the onslaught of a cureless disease. Whereas, in Doing Fieldwork among the Ya̧nomamö, Napoleon A. Chagnon immerses himself into the society of a Venezuelan tribe, which has a complex set of customs that he must understand first in order to document a comprehensive genealogy of the tribe. Through a critical study of both accounts, we can draw similarities in the anthropologists’ experiences, such as certain obstacles that kept them from effectively implementing research methodologies, as well as differences like the way in which they approached their subjects and involved themselves in their respective societal structures. Although both researchers had disparate goals to achieve and societies to examine, we can observe that the process they sustain has many parallels especially when they revisit their approaches to collecting information and entering the societies by building relationships with informants and subjects alike.
To help the women in Africa in their struggle with the problems caused by the AIDS pandemic, we must first help the women have a voice and gender equality in the developed countries and the organizations of which these developed countries are a part of.
Nduwimana, Francoise. "Women and Rwanda's genocide: what goes unsaid.(NEWS CLIPPINGS)." Sister Namibia 16.5-6 (Dec 2004) 38(2). Global Issues In Context. Gale. Peel District School Board All Schools. 27 Nov. 2013
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS weakens the immune system hampering the body’s defense mechanisms. AIDS is known to be a deadly disease, especially if it is not treated in a timely manner. AIDS and HIV is an epidemic that is increasing among the African American population with roots tracing back to Africa, AIDS and HIV needs greater exposure and more awareness within the African American community and in the homosexual community.
AIDS is slowly becoming the number one killer across the globe. Throughout numerous small countries, AIDS has destroyed lives, taken away mothers, and has left hopeless children as orphans. The problem remains that funding for the diseases’ medical research is limited to none. In the country Brazil, HIV/AIDS has been compared to the bubonic plague, one of the oldest yet, most deadly diseases to spread rapidly across Europe (Fiedler 524). Due to this issue, Brazil’s government has promised that everyone who has been diagnosed with either HIV or AIDS will receive free treatment; however, this treatment does not include help in purchasing HIV medications, that “carry astronomical price tags” (Fiedler 525). Generic drug companies have been able to produce effective HIV medications that are not as costly if compared to the prices given by the huge pharmaceutical companies. In contrast, the U.S. government has now intervened with these generic companies hindering them from making HIV medications, which may not be as efficient if made by the pharmaceutical companies. Not only are these drug companies losing thousands of dollars against generic drug companies, but also tremendous profit that is demanded for marketing these expensive drugs as well. “How many people must die without treatment until the companies are willing to lower their prices, or to surrender their patients so generic makers can enter market? (Fiedler 525).” With this question in mind, what ways can we eliminate the HIV/AIDS epidemic across the world? With research, education, testing, and funding we can prevent the spread of HIV to others and hopefully find a cure.
There is a lot of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, causing these women to put providing for their families over their own health, which is understandable. Although they might have access to condoms and know they are at risk of HIV/AIDS, what they might not understand is how far these infections can spread. Evidence-based information provided in a fun and engaging session may make these women realize just how many people they are putting at risk, including their own family members. Learning condom negotiation skills may help them better protect themselves and their sexual partners. These sessions may allow these women to feel more comfortable discussing sexual health, and encourage them to get tested. Being surrounded by their peers in a non-judgemental setting may encourage them to make changes, or support each other’s decisions to make
In the developing world women are the most influential to change. Historically women have been the catalyst for change, they are the most influential because they hold the most respect in their communities. Women are able to invoke the most change because historically they are held at such a high esteem in their communities, this can be seen most obviously in African communities. Women’s desire and determination has enabled them to make the most change in their communities. The woman of Liberia, are the most recognized and praised for their part in the removal of their Dictator Charles Taylor. Their attempt and success of the removal of Charles Taylor is documented in the documentary “Pray The Devil Back to Hell”. Their actions in this movement
McInnes, Colin. 2011. "HIV, AIDS and conflict in Africa: why isn't it (even) worse?" Review of International Studies 37 (2): 485-509.
Once upon a time there was a woman named Alice living in urban Uganda. She was young, newly married, and trying to start a family. Alice married a very wealthy man, so she got everything she wanted. They were happy together and lived in a big, beautiful house in a nice area. Alice didn’t have to work, so she spent most of her days in her garden or spending time with her friends. Although she had an abundance of money, Alice was a very selfish woman. She did not care about the poor or the sick, so she did nothing to help them. She absolutely refused to visit any rural areas because they were not up to her standards.
So without women there towns would be possied and have demon babies . This strong input on cultural roles in the african people probably have the biggest role, only a some are picked not all .Although women play an important role in African society, they suffer legal, economic and social constraints. some laws still treat them as a little kid . That show how wrong they treat beautiful african queens . ‘Women are known to grow 80% of food in Africa, and yet few are allowed to own the land they work on. It is often more difficult for women to gain access
It is true of Africa that women constitute a treasure that remains largely hidden. (Moleketi 10) African women grow 90% of all African produce, and contribute about 70% of Africa’s agricultural labor every year. (Salmon 16) Both the labor and food that are provided by African women go towards the increase in Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). (Moleketi 10) Although African women are feeding the majority of Africa’s inhabitants, the constricting ropes of gender inequality are still holding them back from being appreciated and living up to their full potential. Outstandingly, women such as President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, of Liberia, have gladly accepted the challenge of breaking free of these ropes. The history of women’s rights in Africa, the glass ceiling, and the modern aspects of women’s rights, all play prominent roles in the overall condition of women’s rights in Africa. Until the day arrives that these discriminatory injustices are corrected, individuals in African nations will continue to struggle.
In America, the rights of women have come a long way from where they were just forty and fifty years ago. Women still have a far path to go for equality and equal respect as men in America, but the success thus far is certainly notable. This success however, is not shared internationally to women of different countries, religions and cultures. Westerners seem to believe that using globalization as a means to bring gender equality to the people of Africa is a suitable plan, even though it is obvious that their values and cultural norms are no-where near similar to ours. Western feminism is not yet a reasonable approach to gender issues facing Africa. There are many examples of women in power in Africa especially in seats of legislature and congress in African countries, so this debate is not argue whether or not African women have made any head-way in improving their rights and the impact of their voices. This debate is to argue simply that our “western ways” are not the “only ways”. Feminism needs to be tailored specifically to the people it effects before it can be an effective proc...