Hosted by Def Zee (Definitely Zimbabwean) at the US Embassy’s Public affairs section, was a discussion entitled The Small House Saga. The team from Def Zee showed 2 video clips, one of an interview with a young woman who is currently a small house (having a committed relationship with a married man), and a prostitute from the Avenues area of Harare.

Small houses, are a growing phenomenon and are very much an ‘officially’ unofficial part of societal and family structures. It is not to say that this is a new practice. Men have been having long-term extra-marital affairs, even having families, since time immemorial. The majority of men at the event thought that having a small house was okay. The small house interviewed explained that she was faithful to her man and that she trusted that he was faithful too and that they therefore do not use condoms. The truth of the matter is that many people are not faithful, and since couples tend not to protect themselves during sex when in these types of relationships than in casual sexual encounters, small houses may be loopholes that continue to spread HIV.

The role of prostitution in the spread of HIV/AIDS was also discussed. The prostitute interviewed revealed that over 75% of the men who paid for sex with her did not want to use a condom, and that the vast majority of her clients were indeed married men. Nearly half the audience was in favour of legalizing prostitution in order that the country can benefit from the tax revenue and that the practice may be monitored and regulated for the safety of all involved. The reasons women turned to this ‘profession’ were also explored, with poverty being identified as the chief reason. Clearly, the issues of small houses and prostitution are multi-faceted and require careful consideration, but it is encouraging to see youth talking about such issues in the hope of curbing the spread of HIV. Let me leave you with a question that was asked at yesterday’s discussion: In light of the prevalence of small houses and prostitution, do you think that an HIV/AIDS-free generation is achievable in Zimbabwe?

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In picture: Maxx Moses with local artist Enock aka “Just Kause” in Makokoba, Bulawayo on Monday.

Bulawayo, November 29, 2011: Graffiti artist, Maxx Moses, arrived in Bulawayo on Sunday as part of a U.S. Embassy program to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS through street art.  Moses, who calls himself a “concrete alchemist,” will spend a week in Zimbabwe’s second largest city working with local artists to create two murals on the sides of major buildings.

“I am excited to be here. Our job as artists is to make people think deeper, feel deeper,” says New York-based Moses, who goes by the tag Pose2.  Moses’ artwork has been described by renowned art critic Alexander Salazar as promoting “an environment of longevity, growth, wholeness, and spiritual well-being.” Moses fuses ‘wild style’ and fine art in his work.  He is a well-known innovator in the graffiti and street art industry in the United States, whose work suits virtually any surface, flat or 3D, of any size.

The visiting artist and his team of local artists begins spray-painting the walls of Madlodlo Bar in Makokoba and part of the exterior of the National Gallery in Bulawayo today. The murals will be unveiled at a ceremony on December 1st at 2:30 pm featuring Ambassador Charles Ray, Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Amen Mpofu, and City Council officials.  The sites will also host mobile testing units for the public.

“Worldwide, AIDS activists are focused on creating an AIDS-free generation. In order to do this, we need to use every possible tool to get prevention messages across to young and old alike. Maxx’s work is the perfect medium to do this – it’s innovative, engaging, and certainly eye-catching,” says Michael Brooke, Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Embassy.

Since 2000, the United States government has invested over $245 million in Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV/AIDS.  In 2012, the U.S. will contribute an estimated $60 million to the national HIV/AIDS response in Zimbabwe through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), including support for treatment of 80,000 people and interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV for approximately 40,000 women living with HIV/AIDS.

Issued by the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section.

With only two days to go until the beginning of the 16 days of Activism Against Violence Against Women, the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section played host to a presentation on the campaign, led by young Zimbabwean women’s rights activist, Cleopatra Ndlovu. She defined gender-based violence (GBV) as an umbrella term encompassing “any harm that is perpetrated against a person’s will, because of their sex – this violence has a negative impact on the physical, the psychological health, the development and the identity of the person”.

The theme for this year’s campaign is: From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women! Ndlovu said that the focus on militarism last year and this year, is due to the rise in conflicts and political unrest all over the world. In Zimbabwe, election-time has become synonymous with violence (especially rape), and many of our women shudder to think what will happen to them before and during next year’s polls.

“We live in a country that is not concerned about the issues of GBV,” said Ndlovu as she highlighted the lack of progress or significant change in the situation of women, despite the many protocols, treaties and declarations signed by the nations with regards to discrimination against women and the increase of increase of women in decision-making positions – Zimbabwe has failed to reach the 30% by 2005 goal, as female representation in Parliament to date, falls short of this target.

But the situation is not completely dismal, according to Ndlovu, as women have made huge strides already:

- Establishment of Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development
- National Gender Policy
- Domestic Violence Act
- Victim friendly units

Despite this progress Ndlovu says women still have a long way to go. Another problem she highlighted was the fact that the people who are at the forefront of the fight against GBV are mainly women, through the many organisations who are a part of the women’s movement. The involvement and participation can make it much less of a struggle.

In conclusion, Ndlovu said that the media also had huge role to play in accurately informing the nation on the plight of women in reporting on gender-based violence.

“I think there is too much concentration on fighting HIV, AIDS and other diseases like cholera, so we want to restore the balance,” said Dr Stamps. The former health minister/Health Advisor in the Office of the President and Cabinet, said this at the Non-Communicable Diseases Conference held from 15th – 16th of this month.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancers and cardiovascular diseases (including high blood pressure) account for 80% of deaths from non-communicable diseases, and are perpetuated by things like tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and poor diets.

Even though it seems that AIDS poses the biggest threat to our health, these “silent killers”, which are so often neglected, and are very much a ‘normal’ part of many Zimbabweans’ lives (especially diabetes and high blood pressure), are the greatest killer disease in the world. In Zimbabwe, 21% of deaths in 2010 can be attributed to such disease, according to WHO Non-communicable disease country profiles 2011. In the light of such scary statistics, does HIV and AIDS seem like such a big deal now? Let’s restore the balance in the focus of our healthcare systems, as Dr Stamps has so rightly suggested.

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Despite the optimism communicated, by the Health and Child Welfare Ministry’s Seretse Maphosa, I am having a difficult time believing that the Zimbabwean public is that ready and willing to go for HIV testing. Our aversion to testing goes beyond a lack of adequate and nearby testing facilities. The truth is many, if not most people, would rather not know their HIV status. Testing positive changes one’s life, and most Zimbabweans are not ready or adequately equipped for dealing with these changes.

I am curious to know what the Ministry’s plan is, beyond getting half a million Zimbabweans to get tested in 10-days. I would also like to know what other support systems they have for those who test positive, beyond the once-off, pre and post-testing counseling services we’ve all come to know and associate with HIV testing. Will they assist with treatment and medication those who test positive will consequently require? What are they doing concurrently with the testing campaign to combat stigma, which I believe to be the deadliest aspect HIV?