AIDS, Gender and Access to Antiretroviral Treatment in South Africa

In South Africa, the AIDS epidemic has highly gendered dimensions. Typically, women's social oppression is implicated in understanding gender and AIDS issues. In the context of treatment, this paper shows that HAART coverage is better for women than for men. It argues that social constructs of masculinity are exposing men to risk, resulting in the undermining of men's access to HAART. Men's tendency to access health services less readily than women is a key factor explaining why men tend to access HAART relatively less. The paper draws on a range of data sources, including the ASSA2003 demographic model and the Demographic and Health Survey.