Gender discrepancies in the HIV/AIDS Community Home-Based Care Programme in Kanye, Botswana

Abstract

The aim and objective of this paper is to discuss the gender discrepancies associated with caregiving based on empirical findings from the Kanye HIV/AIDS Community Home-Based Care (CHBC) Programme. The research study was explorative and descriptive in nature and qualitative in design. It used focus group discussions among the caregiver respondents and one-on-one interviews with the CHBC nurses. The findings indicate that the caregiving role among women, and spilling over to girl children, is a result of socialisation that is deeply ingrained in the belief systems of cultures and communities, presents a state of gender exploitation and a human rights denial, is reinforced by the forces of patriarchy, and contributes immensely to the feminisation of poverty. The study recommends gender mainstreaming and analysis in all the institutions of social development, as well as poverty mitigation measures and education to surmount the effects of gender imbalances, gender inequality and gender inequity.