Myths and Realities in Disaster Situations

[NAME CHANGED] Jena, 15, uses chalk to write on the wall of the abandoned house she shares with her mother and four siblings, in Zanzibar Island. “Jena has had all sorts of health problems since she was five years old,” said her mother. “Last year, a doctor at the clinic decided to test her for HIV. Her test results were positive for HIV. At first she did not quite understand what it meant. No one in the family did. When she finally understood some of the implications of her disease, she felt so hopeless. Even I couldn’t eat properly for several days. She is so young. What has she done to deserve it?” It is believed Jena acquired HIV from a surgical procedure. [#2 IN SEQUENCE OF FOUR] In July 2010 in the United Republic of Tanzania, children continue to experience high rates of poverty and child labour, with girls additionally facing high rates of early pregnancy, sexual exploitation and violence. Some 36 per cent of children between 5 and 14 years old are involved in labour activities, and over one third of all households – including an estimated six million children under age 14 – live below the poverty line. Although progress has been made toward achieving gender equality in school enrolment, significant gender disparities remain. Some 15 per cent of girls aged 15–49 have been subjected to female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). One in four girls gives birth before reaching 18 years old, and 41 per cent of women 20 to 24 years old were married while still children. Violence against girls and women is also widespread: In a 2005 World Health Organization (WHO) survey, 40–60 per cent of women were physically or sexually abused by an intimate partner, and 16 to 19 per cent of women experienced violence by someone other than their partner. One in 10 women reported being sexually abused before age 15, and 15 per cent of women reported rape as their first sexual experience. Gender inequality and gender-based violence are also factors driving HIV