Covid-19 Escaled Ongoing Injustices: Voices of Women Living With HIV in Nepal

Abstract

The first HIV case in Nepal was reported in 1988. As of July 2020, the total number of PLHIV was 29,503 PLHIV whereas the numbers for male and females were respectively 17, 587 and 11, 916 (UNAIDS, 2021.). More than 72% of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) are of age group 25 to 49 years (Ministry of Health National Centre for AIDS and STD Control, 2020). There are 80 ART (Anti-Retroviral therapy) centres providing services to PLHIV in seven Provinces and a number of community-based organizations to provide services to PLHI (Ministry of Health National Centre of AIDS and STD Control, 2020). The current knowledge on this area are maninly the reports from HIV Service Agencies that do not capture the silenced voices of PLHIV on intersectional oppression. By acknowledging the need of a evidence-based study, a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project was developed in 2019 to understand the challenges of the Women Living with HIV in Kathmandu, Nepal (Dhungel, 2020; Dhungel & Lama, 2020). This understanding was reached through a variety of means, including photovoice, individual interviews and street dramas. Four major intersectional challenges were identified including discriminations against WLHIV at workplace, violations of privacy in health sectors, excluding from parental's property and discriminations against their children at school. The same study suggested the need for a further study, focusing on intersectional oppressions and public health services and programs available for WLHIV with a focus on Mental Health Services. Therefore, this study was initiated to bridge the gaps in current knowledge with a foucs on COVID-19 policies/programs. Keywords: COVID-19, HIV community, injustice, intersectional oppression