In an excellent article by Courtenay Sprague, an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration at WITS, we take a look at how HIV has disproportionately affected women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Professor Sprague describes the vulnerability of women to HIV as a result of biological factors, gender inequality and violence. It is therefore no surprise that Stats SA reported that females have experienced a 240% increase in deaths from 1997 to 2004 (the same figure for males were 180%).

Addressing the impact of HIV on women and children in South Africa does not merely centre on support for the victims, but also support for those who have the power to change the imbalance in our society: our boys and men. It is therefore encouraging to see a new wave of leadership emerge in the struggle against HIV and AIDS such as the recently launched “Brother for Life” campaign. The importance of focusing on men is centred on the many prevailing norms including: “Men as decision makers influencing behaviour such as multiple concurrent partnerships, condom use and testing.” The campaign identity is based on the aim of creating a movement of good men that will ignite and spread throughout South Africa. The campaign will use the spirit of Brotherhood that exists strongly among men and encourage men to positively influence each other. The campaign seeks to encourage all South African men to open dialogue, debate and negotiate issues critical to preventing new HIV infections.

This example of an integrated pro-active response to the impact of HIV and AIDS will not only unite the brotherhood and sisterhood in South Africa in their fight against the disease, but create a future for our children where they can say: “My mother and father were equal partners in empowering me to be successful, healthy and happy.”

In this spring edition of AAAO we also provide you with a glimpse into a SA of 2025. Under the “Spring of Hope” scenario the world is full of hope and optimism as everything comes back to life after the cold and hardship of winter. In a SA characterized by low economic growth but some movement towards social cooperation and collaboration, a “Spring of Hope” scenario is a very realistic scenario for a future SA.