This study is a gender critique of the response of Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) to the two selected women's sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues in Zambia which are HIV and AIDS, and cervical cancer. However, it has been determined that HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer pose a challenge to this theology.
Motivation of the Study
These include the background of the research problem, the main research question, the sub-questions, the objectives and the theoretical framework on which the research is built and the research methodology used in this study.
Background to the Study
Therefore, Gupta's gender-sensitive approach becomes important in analyzing CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. This chapter is a gendered critique of CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. This chapter analyzes CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS, and cervical cancer as women's SRH issues, from a gender perspective.
This chapter is a critique of CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer as women's SRH issues in Zambia. The third chapter was a gendered critique of CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. However, one of the challenges. major obstacle in CHAZ's response to women's SRH issues.
However, this theology is being challenged by the levels of women's SRH issues such as HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer in Zambia.
Key Research Question
Research Sub-Questions
Objectives
Theoretical Framework
Gender Sensitive Programmes
This proposal by Gupta on gender equality becomes essential in the analysis of CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. These theological themes will be analyzed to determine their implications for CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer as SRH issues for women.
Gender Equitable Programmes
Women Empowerment Programmes
The above arguments by Gupta highlight the importance of women empowerment programs to respond to women's SRH issues. These arguments place gender empowerment in an indispensable position when analyzing how CHAZ responded to women's SRH issues in Zambia.
Research Methodology
Outline of Chapters
Conclusion
This chapter introduces CHAZ as an FBO in relation to its relevance to women's sexual and reproductive health. This is followed by an analysis of CHAZ's vision and mission statements regarding women's SRH issues in Zambia.
Background of CHAZ
This becomes a basis for considering the response of CHAZ to HIV and AIDS, and cervical cancer from a gender perspective. The next chapter attempts to answer the question of how CHAZ responded to the women's SRH issues of HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. Before concluding the chapter, a link between HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer will be discussed.
Furthermore, another crucial aspect in the response to women's sexual and reproductive health that needs to be taken into account is the link between HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. Much information shows that there is a direct link between HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. There is a need to explore how church health associations in other African countries are responding to women's SRH issues such as HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer.
Therefore, I propose a gender response in addressing the challenges of HIV, AIDS and cervical cancer.
Collaboration between CHAZ and the Zambian Government
CHAZ’s Vision Statement
When examining CHAZ's vision, which is to have “Zambian societies where all people are healthy and lead productive lives, to the glory of God” (CHAZ 2012:2), two critical points stand out; healthy Zambian societies and productive Zambian societies for all. In other words, healthy Zambian societies will certainly be a direct result of healthy men and women. CHAZ's vision statement in this regard is therefore critical in dealing with women's sexual and reproductive health, in that it could serve as a benchmark to see how consistent they are in establishing healthy Zambian societies.
CHAZ’s Mission Statement
In other words, health and productivity are intertwined, so responding to one means responding to the other. This shows that both the mission and vision statement plead for a strong theology of life, which necessitates a life-giving response to the challenge of HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. As indicated in its mission statement, it has Christian values and seeks a holistic approach to healthcare provision to the underprivileged as motivation.
The Intersection between Religion and Health
Finally, the power of CHAZ's mission can be fully realized at the intersection of religion and health. By embracing the practical response to health challenges in Zambia while applying biblical principles in carrying out its duties, CHAZ recognizes the importance of the intersection between religion and health. That is why the relationship between religion and health is clearly visible in the programs that CHAZ implements as an FBO.
Conclusion
This is why Cochrane argues that global health organizations such as the Global Fund have recognized the importance of the role of FBOs in the fight against disease (2006:61). Finally, CHAZ is the backbone of the various health institutions of which it is a member, as it determines the programs to be implemented by these CHIs. On the other hand, SALC defines cervical cancer as “a disease that begins in the cervix of the female reproductive system” (2012:7).
Overview Definitions of Gender
Based on this knowledge, this study proposes to put gender in a special perspective when addressing women's HRD issues. Therefore, on this account, I aim for a gendered critique of CHAZ's response to two selected SRZ women's questions. The importance of addressing the issue of SRZ of women from a gender perspective allows us to measure the effectiveness of CHAZ programs in terms of gender sensitivity, gender equality and women's empowerment.
Response of CHAZ to HIV and AIDS
Resource Mobilization and Provision of Technical, Administrative and
Analysis of data on CHAZ, as discussed above, shows that CHAZ responds to HIV and AIDS by implementing programs through church health facilities. I agree with Cochran who argues that the HIV/AIDS pandemic calls for a strong questioning of sexuality and other gendered power structures in society (2006:68). Therefore, if we are to measure how gender-sensitive CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS is as a women's SRH issue, there must be a need for a framework that addresses HIV and AIDS as a gendered pandemic.
Implementation of Community based Programmes
This information highlights the level of effort that CHAZ is making to tackle the challenge of HIV and AIDS. This was a good initiative to inform local communities about the dangers of the HIV and AIDS pandemic and make local communities more aware of HIV and AIDS. This program is useful in influencing the strategies being implemented in the fight against HIV and AIDS as a SRH issue for women.
Education and Women Empowerment Programmes in Relation to HIV and AIDS
In the name of Christianity and African culture, women contracted diseases such as HIV. Therefore, in the process of being guardians of their religio-cultural beliefs, women become disenfranchised and vulnerable. This puts organizations like CHAZ in a vulnerable position when dealing with women's HRD issues such as HIV and AIDS because they must constantly face the challenge of religio-cultural beliefs.
Response to Cervical Cancer
Screening Programmes
Programs such as community education could be used as one of the tools to establish a gender-sensitive response to cervical cancer. In other words, the level of gender sensitivity of CHAZ in relation to cervical cancer can be either life-giving or life-denying for women. A gender-sensitive approach will thus have to take into account women's situation with regard to dealing with cervical cancer.
Education and Women Empowerment Programmes in Relation to Cervical Cancer
Furthermore, since cervical cancer is a SRH issue for women and many women in Zambia are still subject to socially constructed norms regarding owning their own sexuality, it becomes extremely necessary for CHAZ to take a leading role in promoting gender sensitivity when responding to cervical cancer. This argument is based on the fact that when we look at CHAZ's programs, CHAZ has been specific in its areas of focus, as mentioned earlier, and cervical cancer is not among them. Therefore, CHAZ's apparent lack of commitment to cervical cancer justifies such an argument as Oduyoye raised.
The Link between HIV and AIDS and Cervical Cancer
This may be one of the reasons that CHAZ may struggle with a gender-sensitive, gender-equal and women-empowering response to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. An analysis of the response of CHAZ from a gender perspective in the previous chapters clearly shows that the response of CHAZ lacks gender sensitivity, gender equality and the women's empowerment aspect in relation to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer. Screening, education and women's empowerment programs were discussed as a way to analyze the response of CHAZ in relation to cervical cancer.
However, it has been concluded that CHAZ's response to cervical cancer is not gender equitable especially when compared to how CHAZ has responded to the challenge of HIV and AIDS. For example, the theology of ecumenism has been shown to have both positive and negative impacts on CHAZ's response to HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer.
Conclusion
Ecumenical Theology as a Christian Value of CHAZ
Chitando and Klagba give another example of what ecumenical theology can contribute by highlighting the work of the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa (EHAIA), which is a branch of WCC that greatly contributes to the availability and accessibility of anti-retroviral therapy in Africa (2013:3). Therefore, the ecumenical stance of CHAZ has great potential to realize its vision of healthy Zambian societies, as seen from some of the progress CHAZ has made, especially in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Another problematic aspect of the ecumenical theology of CHAZ is that the Church has some patriarchal tendencies, as will be discussed in more detail later in the next section of this chapter.
Scriptural Based Theological Response of CHAZ for Healthy
Chitando (2007:6) further argues that women's subordination to men has been continuously reinforced by the Church. However, the scriptural response of CHAZ to health challenges in Zambia, such as HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer, may be problematic in light of the fact that CHAZ is an ecumenical organization. Furthermore, scriptural theological response of CHAZ becomes a challenge to healthy Zambian societies due to the fact that Scripture is not free from patriarchy.
Theology of a Healthy and Productive Life for All
It is this second-class position of women that has led to an increase in SRH problems among women in Zambia. It therefore becomes imperative for CHAZ to respond to what Oduyoye argues is the need for a theological reflection that includes feminist ecclesiology so that women's experiences of faith and their sexuality are included in CHAZ's response to the questions of SRH (2001). :11). When CHAZ talks about the theology of a healthy and productive life for all, the SRZ of women must be among the priority areas of response.
Theology of a Holistic Approach to Health Care Service Delivery
Therefore, a holistic approach to healing Zambian communities, as taken by CHAZ, is essential when addressing women's SRH issues in Zambia. What remains is for CHAZ to take into account some of the challenges highlighted in the discussion on theological themes such as patriarchy among others as this would enable CHAZ to strengthen its response to women's SRH issues. As CHAZ uses its ecumenical strength to address women's SRH issues, these actions are consistent with the theology of caring for the welfare of humanity and with Jesus' gospel of showing love to all, especially those in a vulnerable position (Luke 4:18) 9 .
Conclusion of the Research Study
However, the study found that CHAZ's response was not gender-sensitive, gender-equitable and women-empowering in terms of how CHAZ responded to cervical cancer. The fourth chapter discussed the theological foundations of CHAZ in relation to women's SRZ issues. They argued that the different theological positions of different denominations under CHAZ had a negative impact on CHAZ's response to SRZ women's issues.
Proposed Areas of Further Research
It has been determined to be an important theology for addressing women's SRH issues as it emphasizes both physical and spiritual healing. The rate of infection of HIV and cervical cancer in Zambia is slowly threatening the full humanity of women, which warrants a response that is gender-sensitive, gender-equitable and empowering for women by organizations that wield influence, such as CHAZ. These dimensions of patriarchy are a serious impediment to any response that might aim to address HIV and AIDS and cervical cancer.
General Conclusion
Retrieved September 8, 2014, from https://www.google/#q=collaboration+between+churches+health+associations+of+zambia+( . chaz)+and+government+%22pdf%22. Church Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ); Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) and Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA). Women, Religion and HIV/AIDS in Africa: Responding to Ethical and Theological Challenges, viii-xviii.
