Skills-building for gender mainstreaming in HIV/AIDS research and practice

The impact of gender in fuelling HIV/AIDS has become a fundamental aspect of addressing the pandemic. It is clear that gender plays a pivotal role in how women and men respond to counselling, testing, treatment, care and prevention programmes. This report contains the presentations delivered at the gender and HIV/AIDS-themed sessions held during the 3rd African Conference of the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA), held in Dakar, in October 2005. The first section provides an overview of some of the critical gender and HIV/AIDS theory; the second section contains presentations on how to design gender-sensitive research and how to extract gender-relevant data from existing research data, as well as how to move from research to advocacy to policy; presentations in the third section contain worksheets that can be used in training others to use a gendered lens. SAHARA provides a vehicle for the sharing of scientific research and information, and a platform for scientists, policy-makers, programme implementers and communities in Africa to discuss ways to improve HIV/AIDS-related policies, programmes and strategies.

Introduction

Bridgette Prince, Sarah Pugh and Sharon Kleintjes

Section A: Capacity-building session from theory to practice

Paper 1 A critical look at the use of gender theory in responses to HIV/AIDS
Tamara Shefer
Paper 2 Gender mainstreaming and HIV/AIDS in Swaziland
Doo Aphane
Paper 3 HIV/AIDS and gender from a community perspective
Herman Lupogo
Paper 4 Developing a research agenda for gender in Africa
Sisonke Msimang
Paper 5 Sexual identities and men who have sex with men
Sarah Pugh

Section B: Capacity-building workshops applying gender-based analysis to practice and informing emerging theory

Paper 1 Gender and research theory, design and implementation
Jacqueline Gahagan
Paper 2 From research to advocacy to policy: the Kenyan perspective
Patrick Orege
Paper 3 Gender relations, sexual negotiations, and HIV prevention in Senegal university campuses: Dakar and Saint Louis
Solange Bandiaky
Paper 4 Women, poverty and vulnerability in the face of HIV/AIDS
B. Lvi Tshizubu Mutombo
Paper 5 Engendering action research to influence policy and practice
Masheti Wangoyi
Paper 6 Extracting gender-relevant data from existing research
Nompumelelo Zungi-Dirwayi

Section C: Capacity-building workshops building skills and capacity using gender-based analysis to facilitate gender mainstreaming

Paper 1 Masculinities: implications for the HIV/AIDS epidemic
Joseph Amuzu
Paper 2 The Men as Partners programme in South Africa: reaching men to end gender-based violence and promote sexual and reproductive health
Dean Peacock and Andrew Levack
Paper 3 Gender and HIV/AIDS: the nuts and bolts of gender-based analysis
Erika Burger and Barbara Clow

Conclusion: Keeping gender in the mainstream
Sarah Pugh and Bridgette Prince
Useful resources for gender mainstreaming and gender-based analysis
Gender reference group
Useful websites
Other useful resources and further reading

At the time of writing, Bridgette Prince was SAHARA Co-ordinator for Gender and Networking. She is based in the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance at the HSRC. She is currently International Liaison Officer in the Office of the CEO at the HSRC

At the time of writing, Sarah Pugh was a CIDA-funded intern with SAHARA and the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Womens Health, focusing on Gender and HIV/AIDS. She was based in the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance at the HSRC.

At the time of writing, Sharon Kleintjes was a Research Manager in the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Research Programme at the HSRC.