Prevention of HIV/AIDS and Violence Against Women and Girls with Disabilities in Tanzania

Women with disabilities need good health. Good health is more than the absence of
disease. When a disabled woman has good health it means she experiences Well-being of her body,
mind, and spirit; Women with disabilities can take charge of their own health when they have
information that affirms their own experience of their bodies and health needs. They can also use this
information to change the way people think about disability. As women with disabilities take charge
of their lives, they will gain respect and support in their communities. While disability itself may not
be a health problem, many times the health problems of women with disabilities go untreated. This
can mean that a simple health problem in a woman with disability, if left untreated, can become a life
threatening problem. We must remove the barriers that keep disabled women from achieving good
health.

Individually, I have grown up with a disability after contracting polio. I was interested to
write this paper to convince NGOs, societies and Governments to become more aware of our rights
and more inclusive of our needs. It was indeed a pleasure to be invited by the Center for Women
Policy Studies to write a paper with a focus on HIV/AIDS and violence against women and girls
with disabilities in Tanzania. I hope that with more such studies, people with disabilities will enjoy
and experience the kind of liberation they have never had before. Data on HIV/AIDS and violence
among women and girls with disabilities is important not only as a lobbying tool for the disability
movement but also as an important guide to the government, development agencies and other
stakeholders that have an interest in improving the services they provide to people with disabilities.

To read the full document click here.