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Background: West Africa is considered to be the
most unstable region on the Africa continent. Civil wars in Liberia,
Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast couple with political instability in Nigeria,
Guinea Bissau and recently Togo have put Women and children at risk to
diseases and poverty. These women struggled with their inorder to meet the
basic necessity of life. We take this as a serious problem because
according to Church World service "refugees and internally displaced
persons are six times more likely to get infected with the virus than
their counterparts in normal condition.
Methods: There were wide ranging places that our
assessment covered. We were in the market places, Night clubs and bars as
well as schools and the most important of all we were from door to door.
This was a long a hectic process that took more than six months.
Questions were being asked in the form of conversation
and at some time for the literates questionaire were issued to be filled
in.Gifts were given to people at times for encouragement. Children at
various schools were allowed to have time to discuss AIDS and some causes
among women and young girls.
Results: After visiting the Liberian Refugee
Camps in Ghana and the Ivory Coast and also displaced camps in Liberia
Guinea and Sierra Leone several data were collected which are clear
representation of the vulnerability of women and young girls.
About 80% of the women told us that they get involved in
risky sexual behaviour inorder to keep up their children. Also about 72%
of young girls get involved in sexual behaviour because of the pressure
from men and also rape. Ten percent told us that whenever they drink
alcohol the feel like indulging in sexual activity. The location of wells
and market places as well as the closeness of the houses are factors that
increase their vulnerability.
Conclusion: After this assessment it can be
concluded that the main causes of the growing rate of infection in the sub
region is poverty and instability. The only way to solve this is to first
have political stability in the region where people will go through the
normal education process and become soundly education.If they are sound
they will not be too greedy for power to the detriment of the masses.
There are enough resources that can be exploited inorder to feed the
people of the sub region. The international community should think on
stability before fighting the virus |
