Cultural Practices and HIV in South Africa: A Legal Perspective

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2009/v12i4a2743

Keywords:

HIV/AIDS, gender violence, culture, equality, dignity, female genital mutilation, polygamy, early marriage, virginity testing, dry sex.

Abstract

South Africa has not escaped the rising prevalence and severe impact of HIV/AIDS in relation to women. From an economic and social vantage point, the HIV/AIDS epidemic effects women the hardest, with underprivileged black women the most susceptible to the virus. The theoretical framework of this paper focuses on the intersection between HIV/AIDS, gender inequality and gender violence, and more specifically on certain cultural practices and customs that contribute towards and exacerbate women’s subordination and inequality, which in turn increase women’s exposure to HIV infection. Relevant to this focus is inevitably an analysis of the perceived threats to specific fundamental human rights as a result of some of the entrenched practices that continue to reinforce women’s subordinate position in society, aggravated by the high incidence of gender violence.

 

Google_Scholar_155.png    ScienceOpen_Log0425.png

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bibliography

Alcamo AIDS

Alcamo E AIDS (Jones & Bartlett Boston 2003)

Al-krenawi 1998 Family Process

Al-krenawi A "A family therapy with a multiparental/multispousal family" 1998 (37) Family Process 65-81

Bainham International Survey

Bainham A & International Society on Family Law The International Survey of Family Law: 1996 (Martinus Nijhoff Leiden 1998)

Baleka 1998 Lancet

Baleka A "Concern voiced over 'dry sex' practices in South Africa" 1998 (352) The Lancet 1292

Beck et al HIV Pandemic

Beck EJ et al The HIV Pandemic: Local and Global Implications (Oxford University Press Oxford 2008)

Bennett Customary Law

Bennett TW Customary Law in South Africa (Juta Lansdowne 2007)

Bishop "Baedeker"

Bishop M "A Baedeker to Constitutional Law of South Africa" in Woolman S et al (eds) Constitutional law of South Africa 2nd ed (Juta Cape Town 2007)

Bonthuys and Albertyn Gender, law and justice

Bonthuys E and Albertyn C (eds) Gender, law and justice (Juta Lansdowne 2007)

Bradshaw and Ndegwa Uncertain promise

Bradshaw YW and Ndegwa SN The uncertain promise of Southern Africa (Indiana University Press Indianapolis 2001)

Brems Human Rights

Brems E Human Rights: Universality and Diversity (Martinus Nijhoff The Hague 2001)

Cameron 2006 Stell LR

Cameron E "Legal and human rights responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic" 2006 (17) Stellenbosch Law Review 47-90

Cook 2007 JBS

Cook CT "Polygamy: Did the Africans get it right?" 2007 (38) Journal of Black Studies 232-250

Curran and Bonthuys 2005 SAJHR

Curran E and Bonthuys E "Customary law and domestic violence in rural South African communities" 2005 (21) South African Journal on Human Rights 607-635

Davis and Tschunin Nursing ethics

Davis AJ and Tschunin V Essentials of teaching and learning in nursing ethics (Elsevier Health Science Oxford 2006)

Denniston and Mibs Sexual mutilations

Denniston GC and Mibs MF Sexual mutilations: A human tragedy (Springer New York 1997)

DoH Survey

Department of Health National HIV and syphilis antenatal sero-prevalence survey in South Africa 2005 (National Department of Health Pretoria 2006)

Dunkle 2004 Lancet

Dunkle DL "Gender based violence, relationship power, and risk of HIV infection in women attending antenatal clinics in South Africa" 2004 (363) The Lancet 1415

Elbe 2002 International Security

Elbe S "International Security: HIV/AIDS and the changing landscape of war in Africa" 2002 (27) International Security159-177

Epprecht Heterosexual Africa?

Epprecht M Heterosexual Africa? The history of an idea from the age of exploration to the age of AIDS (Ohio University Ohio 2008)

Herbst and Du Plessis 2008 EJCL

Herbst M and Du Plessis W "Customary law v common law marriages: A hybrid approach in South Africa" 2008 (12) Electronic Journal of Comparative Law 1-15

Gilbert and Walker 2002 Science Direct

Gilbert L and Walker L "Treading the path of least resistance: HIV/AIDS and social inequalities – A South African case study" 2002 (54) Science Direct 1-17

Gostin and Lazzarini Human rights

Gostin LO and Lazzarini Z Human rights and public health in the AIDS pandemic (Oxford University Press Oxford 1997)

Grant 2006 JAL

Grant E "Human Rights, Cultural Diversity and Customary Law in South Africa" 2006 (50) Journal of African Law 2-23

Gutto Equality

Gutto S Equality and non-discrimination in South Africa: The political economy of law and law making (New Africa Books Cape Town 2001)

Hassim et al Health

Hassim A et al (eds) Health and democracy (Siberink Cape Town 2007)

Henrard Minority protection

Henrard K Minority protection in post-apartheid South Africa: Human rights, minority rights, and self-determination (Greenwood Publishing Group Westport 2002)

Heyns and Viljoen Impact

Heyns H and Viljoen F The impact of the United Nations human rights treaties on the domestic level (Martinus Nijhoff The Hague 2002)

Hitchcock and Vinding Indigenous peoples' rights

Hitchcock RK and Vinding D Indigenous peoples' rights in Southern Africa (International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs Copenhagen 2004)

Irving Gender

Irving H Gender and the Constitution: Equity and agency in comparative constitutional design (Cambridge University Press Cambridge 2008)

Karanja Female genital mutilation

Karanja ND Female genital mutilation in Africa: Gender, religion and pastoral care (Xulon Press Virginia 2003)

Karim HIV/AIDS

Karim A HIV/AIDS in South Africa (Cambridge University Press Cambridge 2005)

Kitts et al Health gap

Kitts J et al The health gap: Beyond pregnancy and reproduction (International Development Research Centre Ottawa 1996)

Kommers American constitutional law

Kommers DP American constitutional law essays cases and comparative notes (Rowman & Littlefield Lanham 2004)

Kramarae and Spender Encyclopaedia

Kramarae C and Spender D (eds) Routledge international Encyclopaedia for Women (London Routledge 2007)

Leclerc-Madlala 2003 Agenda

Leclerc-Madlala S "Protecting girlhood? Virginity revivals in the era of AIDS" 2003 (56) Agenda 16-25

MacKinnon Feminism

MacKinnon C Feminism unmodified: Discourses on life and law (Harvard University Press Harvard 1987)

Marshall and Keough Mind, heart, and soul

Marshall K and Keough L Mind, heart, and soul in the fight against poverty (World Bank Publications Washington DC 2004)

McMichael Development

McMichael P Development and social change: A global perspective (Pine Forge Press California 2004)

Moller and Welch Polygamy

Moller V and Welch GJ Polygamy and well-being among Zulu migrants (Centre for Applied Social Sciences Durban 1985)

Mothokoa 2004 SAJHR

Mothokoa M "New families, new property, new laws: The practical effects of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act" 2004 South African Journal on Human Rights 616-641

Nienaber 2008 SAJHR

Nienaber AG "The protection of participants in clinical research in Africa" 2008 (8) South African Journal on Human Rights 138-162

Nkosi 2007 IJARS

Nkosi G "Indigenous African marriage and same sex partnerships: Conflicts and controversies" 2007 (2) International Journal of African Renaissance Studies: Multi-, inter- and transdisciplinarity 200-216

Nwoye 2007 Dialectical Anthropology

Nwoye A "The practice of interventive polygamy in two regions of Africa: Background, theory and techniques" 2007 (31) Dialectical Anthropology 383-421

O'Sullivan "Reproductive Rights"

O'Sullivan M "Reproductive Rights" in Woolman S et al (eds) Constitutional law of South Africa 2nd ed (Juta Cape Town 2007)

Packer Change tradition

Packer C Using human rights to change tradition (Intersentia Antwerp 2002)

Patterson African State

Patterson S The African State and the AIDS Crisis (Ashgate Aldershot 2005)

Pieterse 2008 SALJ

Pieterse M "The interdependence of rights to health and autonomy in South Africa" 2008 (125) South African Law Journal 553-572

Richmond and Gestrin Into Africa

Richmond Y and Gestrin P Into Africa: Intercultural insights (Intercultural Press Yarmouth Maine 1998)

Richter Sexual abuse

Richter L Sexual abuse of young children in Southern Africa (Human Science Research Council Cape Town 2004)

Schoeman-Malan 2007 PER

Schoeman-Malan MC "Recent developments regarding South African common and customary law of succession" 2007 (1) Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal 1-33

Segal Banyan tree

Segal SJ Under the Banyan tree: A population scientist's odyssey (Oxford University Press Oxford 2003)

Sinclair "Family rights"

Sinclair J "Family rights" in Van Wyk D, Dugard J and De Villiers B (eds) Rights and constitutionalism (Juta Cape Town 1994) 502-572

Slabbert Human embryo and foetus

Slabbert MN The human embryo and foetus: Constitutional and other legal issues (LLD-thesis Unisa 2000)

Van der Vyver 2003 Stell LR

Van der Vyver JD "Cultural identity as a constitutional right in South Africa" 2003 (14) Stellenbosch Law Review 51-67

Van Niekerk 2005 Obiter

Van Niekerk GJ "Succession, living indigenous law and Ubuntu in the Constitutional court" 2005 (26) Obiter 474-487

Viljoen and Stefiszyn Human rights protected

Viljoen F and Stefiszyn K (eds) Human rights protected? Nine Southern African country reports on HIV, AIDS and the law (PULP Pretoria 2007)

Werner 1928 JIAI

Werner E "Preferential marriage correlation of the various modes among the Bantu tribes of the Union South Africa" 1928 (1) Journal of the International African Institute 413-428

Wesley et al Culture

Wesley J et al Culture and human development: The selected papers of John Whitingn (Cambridge University Press Cambridge 1994)

WHO Coverage of maternity care

World Health Organization Coverage of maternity care: A tabulation of available information WHO/FHE/MSM/93.7 3rd ed (1993)

Wieland 2005 SAJHR

Wieland L "The role of the courts in the conflict between African customary law and human rights" 2005 (21) South African Journal on Human Rights 241-277

Zeitzen Polygamy

Zeitzen MK Polygamy: A cross-cultural analysis (Berg Publishers Oxford 2008)

Register of legislation, policy documents and international instruments

Abortion and Sterilization Act 2 of 1975

Black Administration Act 38 of 1927

Children's Act 38 of 2005

Choice on the Termination of Pregnancy Act 92 of 1996

Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities Act 19 of 2002

Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996

Insolvency Act 24 of 1936

nternational Covenant on Cultural and Peoples' Rights of 23 March 1976

International Covenant on Cultural and Peoples Rights of 3 January 1986

Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998

Reform of Customary Law of Succession and Regulation of Related Matters Act 11 of 2009

Transkei Marriage Act 21 of 1978

Register of court cases

Alexkor Ltd v Richtersveld Community 2004 (5) SA 460 (CC)

Bhe and Others v The Magistrate, Khayelitsha; Shibi v Sithole; SA Human Rights Commission and Another v President of the RSA and Another 2005 (1) BCLR 1 (CC)

Carmichele v Minister of Safety and Security 2001 (4) SA 938 (CC)

Christian Education South Africa v Minister of Education 2000 (10) BCLR 1051 (CC)

Government of the Republic of South Africa and Others v Grootboom and Others 2000 (11) BCLR 1169 (CC)

Harksen v Lane NO & Others 1997 (11) BCLR 1489 (CC)

Mabena v Letsoalo Mabena v Letsoalo 1998 (2) SA 1068

Mabuza v Mbata 2003 (4) SA 218 (KH)

Minister of Health and Others v Treatment Action Campaign and Others (1) 2002 (10) BCLR 1033 (CC)

Prince v The President of the Law Society Of the Cape of Good Hope & Others 2002 (2) SA 794 (CC); 2002 (3) BCLR 231 (CC)

R v Oak (1986 19 CRR 308)

Soobramoney v Minister of Health, KwaZulu-Natal 1998 (1) All SA 268 (CC)

Wilson in In re Morgenthaler (1998 31 CCR 1)

Register of internet sources

AAP 1998 aappolicy.aappublications.org/

American Academy of Pediatrics 1998 Female Genital Mutilation aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;102/1/153 [date of use 16 September 2008]

Businge 2007 www.ugpulse.com/

Businge G 2007 Female Genital Cutting /Mutilation (FGC/FGM) continues despite Damaging Health Repercussions www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/Health.asp?id=587 [date of use 12 October 2008]

Department of Health 2006 www.doh.gov.za/

Department of Health Results of the 17th national HIV and syphilis survey www.doh.gov.za/docs/antenatal-f.html [date of use 20 November 2008]

Participating in Public Policy 2009 www.cplo.co.za/

Participating in Public Policy 2009 Publications www.cplo.co.za/site/index.php?option=com_docman [date of use 16 August 2009]

RHO 2008 www.rho.org/

RHO 2008 Cervical Cancer Overview www.rho.org/html/hthps_overview.htm [date of use 13 September 2008]

SAHO 2008 www.sahistory.org.za/

SAHO 2008 Cultural groups – Xhosa www.sahistory.org.za/pages/arts mediaculture/culture%20&%20heritage/cultural-groups/xhosa.htm [date of use 13 August 2009]

Teyise 2004 www.health-e.org.za/

Teyise T 2004 The cruellest cut www.health-e.org.za/news/article.php?uid=20030914 [date of use 12 August 2009]

UN 2000 www.un.org/

UN 2000 Secretary-General Addresses World Education Forum on Theme of 'Building A Partnership For Girls' Education' Press Release SG/SM/7369 www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2000/20000426.sgsm7369.doc.html [date of use 5 April 2009]

Published

26-06-2017

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Mswela, M. (2017). Cultural Practices and HIV in South Africa: A Legal Perspective. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 12(4), 171-213. https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2009/v12i4a2743

Similar Articles

1-10 of 948

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.