In South Africa there are almost 300,000 pregnancies per year involving HIV-positive mums-to-be, according to the latest antenatal survey in 2007. With numbers like these, it might be surprising that Fikile Mabuza* thought she would be the only HIV-positive pregnant woman at the clinic.

This is because of misconceptions about HIV and pregnancy. “Some people don’t have information and they talk out of the blue, just to talk,” she said. “Sometimes I feel like I could punch them because they talk and they don’t know – they just criticise HIV. Yes, HIV … has killed people, but it’s manageable.”

It’s like people think, ‘How can she be pregnant when she knows she is HIV positive? Mabuza eventually lost her baby in the seventh month of her pregnancy, but said she and her fiancée – who is HIV-negative – plan to try again in 2010.

Seven years ago, Priscilla Khauoe found herself in the same situation and what she learned then as an HIV-positive pregnant woman propelled her into activism. She now works as a testing counsellor for Persevere until Something Happens (PUSH), an HIV/AIDS organisation in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Khauoe said she still sees the same negative attitudes about positive motherhood as she did when she was pregnant with her son. “If I am in a relationship and I tell a person I’m HIV-positive, the first thing the person says is: ‘What happens when we get married? What are we going to do? I want children.’” she said.

“It’s like people think, ‘How can she be pregnant when she knows she is HIV-positive?’ She said stigma still has a lot to do with how HIV is perceived and misunderstood.

“We think that when you have HIV, you are sick and you are dying,” she said. “A person thinks that they can’t have a baby because the baby will be sick; it will die. They think life has stopped because they are HIV-positive.”

Rakgadi Mohlahlane, programme manager at the Centre for the Study of AIDS and a researcher investigating stigma, warned that it was a complex issue. “Stigma happens for a variety of reasons, and it’s not based in any reality – it’s based on people’s perceptions,” she told IRIN/PlusNews.

“Those perceptions started from an attempt to moralise the whole HIV epidemic, and because of those perceptions some people feel – on a ‘moral ground’ – that a woman who behaves a certain way deserves to have HIV, or doesn’t deserve to have a child.”

Nomfundo Eland, national programme manager for women’s rights at Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), an AIDS lobby group, admitted that pregnant women living with the virus were still treated unfairly. “Basically, people think HIV-positive women shouldn’t be having unsafe sex, which is why they are pregnant.”

The organisation works with women to “try to explain about issues of reproductive rights and that, in most cases, pregnancies should be about planning,” said Eland.

“We also talk about options, but many of those options – like artificial insemination – aren’t available to most women because they are very expensive. People need to be aware that women who are HIV-positive are also women, and have to enjoy their reproductive rights.”

*not her real name

For the full story in the IRIN article SOUTHERN AFRICA: HIV pregnancy, stigma and ignorance please click here.

TAC’s General Secretary, Vuyiseka Dubula, and Chairperson, Nonkosi Khumalo, will be presented with the John M. Lloyd Award in recognition of their leadership in HIV/AIDS. The award, presented by the John M. Lloyd Foundation, is intended to recognize, develop and empower HIV/AIDS advocacy leaders that have not yet been extensively recognized.

It acknowledges the remarkable work these two women have done in two pre-eminent HIV/AIDS organizations in South Africa: the Treatment Action Campaign and the AIDS Law Project. In bestowing this award, The John M. Lloyd Foundation hopes that it will help to amplify the impact of their work.

The Foundation was created by John M. Lloyd (1948-1991) to seek solutions to the AIDS epidemic. He believed that the AIDS crisis was increasingly due to the lack of wisdom, compassion, and common sense within our communities, rather than to a lack of medical knowledge. John M. Lloyd believed in seeking the root causes of problems, rather than merely treating their symptoms.

Vuyiseka and Nonkosi will be presented with their award on 5 March 2010 in Los Angeles, USA.   Well done and well deserved – Positive Heroes salutes you both!!

Positive Heroes applauds President Zuma’s landmark speech, made in the National Council of Provinces on HIV/AIDS on 29 October 2009, in which he acknowledged that the fear and shame that have surrounded the epidemic must be overcome.

In his speech, President Zuma said: “All South Africans must know that they are at risk and must take informed decisions to reduce their vulnerability to infection, or, if infected, to slow the advance of the disease. Most importantly, all South Africans need to know their HIV status, and be informed of the treatment options available to them.

Though it poses a grave threat to the well-being of our nation, HIV and AIDS should be treated like any other disease. There should be no shame, no discrimination, no recriminations. We must break the stigma surrounding AIDS.”

Positive Heroes believe’s that all South Africans should feel secure accessing testing, treatment, care and support without fear, shame or discrimination.

Richard Westoby, Steven Edwards and Positive Heroes are pleased to announce a photographic exhibition of some of Richard’s work titled “I dream of Africa” and on Wednesday 28th and Thursday the 29th, October 2009 at the Hub Culture Pavillion in Kingly Court on Carnaby Street.

Richard has been inspired by Africa, it’s people, wildlife and topography and regularly daydreams about his 4 months living and travelling around Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa in 2008 – hence the title of the show.

Positive Heroes is a South-African charity that both Richard and Steven are very much directly involved with that is based in Cape Town and the proceeds from the sale of any photographs will be going directly to the charity. We are also suggesting a £10 donation on the door which once again will be going directly to the charity. [Thanks to tremendous support the event raised over £15,000]

RSVP. Richard Westoby on richardwestoby@hotmail.com