High levels of gender-based violence (GBV) and unequal property rights for women are contributing to Zambia’s HIV/AIDS crisis, according to a new Human Rights Watch report.
According to a new report by global watch dog group, Human Rights Watch, gender-based violence and unequal property rights are preventing Zambian women from accessing life-saving treatment for HIV/AIDS.
According to the ninety-six-page report, “Hidden in the Mealie Meal: Gender-Based Abuses and Women’s HIV Treatment in Zambia,” the Zambian government has “fallen short of its international legal obligations to combat violence and discrimination against women. The report details abuses that obstruct women’s ability to start and adhere to HIV treatment regimens, including violence against women and insecure property rights that often force women into poverty and dependent, abusive relationships.”
Women Thrive Worldwide, a non-profit that shapes U.S. policies that help women lift their families out of poverty, is currently advocating for two pieces of legislation that would significantly reduce gender based violence worldwide and address unequal property rights for women in developing countries. The International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) would comprehensively incorporate proven solutions for gender-based abuse into current U.S. foreign assistance programs. The Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive (GROWTH) Act, would provide money for U.S. assistance programs in countries like Zambia to help women secure and maintain property rights, which are so critical to economic security for the poor.
You can help make these bills a reality for women in countries like Zambia by:
Sign the IVAWA Petition! | Ask Your Representative to Support the GROWTH Act!
