Every minute, a young woman is newly infected with HIV and for women in their reproductive years, HIV is the leading cause of death.
Every minute, a young woman is newly infected with HIV and for women in their reproductive years HIV is the leading cause of death.
In Burundi, women’s lives are at risk because there are not enough health messages in the media, and the national health information system is weak. Therefore, many adolescents, families and girls ignore or are unaware of the importance of family planning.
Agnes Nduwarugira, 23, is seven months pregnant and living with HIV. She was made pregnant by a young neighbour boy who studies in secondary school. She said: “I had unprotected sex because in our village there is not a condom distributor or family planning centre.
“I could not protect myself because I have little information on reproductive health. As a consequence, I got pregnant when I didn’t want to and, unfortunately, the boy did not accept my pregnancy. Worse, my parents ordered me to go to that boy’s home to get married, even though I am not ready.”
Lack of rights and services risk women’s health
Lack of family planning information and contraception are not the only things putting young women’s lives at risk. So is the lack of opportunities to support themselves and lack of basic health services.
Francine Kamikazi * tested HIV positive in 2011, when she was 25 years old. She said: “I was infected with HIV by a man who used to pay my school fees and rent. I am an orphan – both of my parents died because of the civil war that occurred in Burundi from 1993 to 2005 – and I could find no other source of support.
“It takes me more than four hours to reach a health centre where I can find medical doctors,” Francine continued. “Even when I arrive at a health centre, I cannot find the special facilities I need as a pregnant, HIV-positive woman, such as sexual education and reproductive health facilities.”
Community health centres in Burundi face a lot of challenges, including the lack of medical equipment, medicine and doctors. Therefore, they struggle to serve women with complex health needs.
“Only some big clinics in the town of Bujumbura may have the right facilities,” Kamikazi said, “but they are very expensive, and I cannot afford their prices.”
HIV-positive women like Francine and Agnes also need special services to prevent the transmission of HIV to their unborn children. Francine said: “My wish is to give birth to a child with no HIV because I am a young girl and it is my fundamental human right.”
Women provide services for each other
Agnes got pregnant because she did not have the right information or resources, so she is determined to make sure other girls and young women get them – but she has had to face many challenges. “My friend in my village and I have established a centre for family planning, human rights and sexual education. We need financial aid and contacts with international supporters to collaborate with us on a common plan.
“We have identified local partners – religious groups, university institutes, and community radio – for support. Our current challenge is talking about sexual issues, family planning and HIV with religious organisations and their members because some of those organisations do not encourage their members to use contraceptive methods.”
According to UNHCR’s 2012 report on Burundi, 89,000 Burundians are living with HIV. The problem is made worse by high poverty levels, a high fertility rate and high unmet need for family planning.
The Burundi government needs new strategies on family planning and support for the provision of a basic package of services, including family planning, gender-based violence programmes, pregnancy-related services, skilled attendance at delivery and emergency obstetric care, HIV prevention, and diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
The government should join efforts to provide birth control and family planning information to its population in order to reduce pregnancy rates and stop the spread of HIV.
*Not her real name. She suggested this name to protect her identity.
Read more stories about HIV, children and young people
Photo credit: Sheikh Rajibul Islam/duckrabbit
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