Redefining health in development : a feminist approach to HIV/AIDS as a development issue

Abstract

This thesis presents the argument that inadequate definitions of development and health have limited our understanding of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is argued that broader, more holistic definitions of development and health will improve understanding of HIV and AIDS and thus planning and programming for the pandemic.

After appropriate definitions of development and health are established the extent to which they are applied in current HIV/AIDS development literature is discussed. Extensive quotations from an anthology that gathers the voices of women from various parts of the world who are HIV positive or who have AIDS support the central argument in regards to the need for broad definitions of development and health.

The thesis concludes by noting that while at the policy level there has been some acceptance of the need for broad definitions of development and health, there has been little practical work done using these definitions. Reasons for the limited application of broad definitions, such as reluctance to change power structures and increased complexity in programming are discussed and suggestions are made for the inclusion of broad definitions of development and health in policy, planning and the teaching of International Development Studies.