15% Now! Campaign: Africa Must Invest in Public Health

According to the 15% Now Campaign, African governments must urgently implement their pledge to dedicate 15 percent or more of annual budgets to health care in order to stem the tide of deaths.

On Men Having Safe Sex

Clearly, men have unique sexual and reproductive health needs, but their needs are more often than not sidelined in reproductive health service provision. Men's limited participation in reproductive health affects not only the health of men themselves, but also their female partners, children and the general society.

Fighting AIDS Demands Changing Tradition and Culture

In sub-Saharan Africa, the boundaries of tradition and culture are holding women back from much-needed progress, leaving them vulnerable to the vicious cycle of HIV infection, poverty, stigma, violence and death.

A Woman’s Fight Against HIV Stigma

Floritah Chiradza, an HIV-positive Zimbabwe woman, who shares her journey to help fight discrimination and stigma against HIV. Today is National HIV Testing Day in the United States.

Bringing Back the Sex into HIV/AIDS Work in Africa

Sex with multiple partners is gaining attention in sub-Saharan Africa in order to address a ballooning epidemic, where just 12 percent of men and 10 percent of women know their HIV status.

Cultural Matters of Reproductive Health

People should be able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to have children. But in Zimbabwe, this right is curtailed by the unseen force of tradition and culture.

Women and War

A recent UN report addresses sexual violence as "the shame of war." Populations that are displaced as a result of conflict face reproductive health challenges that are not currently being met, especially those of women and girls.

Microbicides: Not a Silver Bullet

Microbicides may be a potential solution for women to control their sexual health, but accessibility, women's inequality and other issues must be addressed for this to be an effective preventative method in Thailand.

The Power Of A Woman’s Story

Pat (not her real name) had been living with HIV for seven years—five of which she was taking life prolonging ARVs—when she suddenly became pregnant. Her doctor referred her to a clinic with explicit instruction to get the pregnancy terminated.

Like most women in Thailand and around the globe, there was very little Pat could do to avoid or keep the pregnancy. She says lack of access to appropriate contraceptives left her vulnerable to the unintended pregnancy. Also, little knowledge about what a woman can do to prevent transmitting HIV to the child left her with very little choice.

A Question of the Cutting Edge: Male Circumcision & HIV

Editor's Note: Today we welcome Masimba Biriwashi, a Zimbabwean writer and journalist, writing from Thailand. He has experience with Health & Development Networks and will be covering HIV/AIDS issues on the continents of Africa and Asia.

Male circumcision (removal of the foreskin of the male penis) is increasingly gaining currency as an alternative method to reduce HIV-infection. In sub-Saharan Africa, the worst affected region in the world, male circumcision (MC) could prevent six million new infections, researchers say.