Gendered Inequalities in HIV/AIDS: Investigating Linkages between Degradation, Disenfranchisement, Unemployment and Disease

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the social, political, economic, and environmental forces that shape disproportionate HIV rates among women in less-developed countries. Specifically, we analyze how environmental degradation and women’s property rights condition female unemployment rates in poor nations and ultimately, patterns of disease. Using data from 105 less-developed nations, we construct a structural equation model to analyze influences on the proportion of HIV cases among women. We find that environmental degradation is an important, though often overlooked factor contributing to the female HIV burden across nations, through mechanisms such as female unemployment, disenfranchisement, and poor access to socio-health services. We also find that restrictions on property rights for women impact female unemployment and access to health services. Conclusions point to the efficacy of incorporating ecofeminist frameworks that emphasize ecological conditions alongside political, economic, and social forces to explain global health and gender inequalities in HIV/AIDS.