Gender, HIV and social work

The world is now entering the fourth decade of the AIDS epidemic without any cure or foolproof vaccine in sight. A major part of India is still in the first phase of ignorance about the HIV and the need for ending any discrimination against the infected whereas we should now develop mechanisms for care and support of the infected and the affected. The status of women continues to be low and the hatred and rejection facing a positive woman is widespread. Gender differentials both at the policy as well as the programme levels exist. Access to health care institutions is poor and there is hardly any counselling, which keeps the needs of infected or affected women in focus. There is a need of trained social workers both in the urban and rural areas to meet the counselling requirements of a person from the infection stage till the end and, if possible, afterwards to the bereaved family. The book attempts to point out all these issues and the need to develop an all- inclusive set of policies and plans of action. (http://www.rawatbooks.com/book_more_detail.aspx?id=12)