The boy child and HIV/AIDS in Botswana: A neglected issue in research and practice

Abstract

Even though HIV/AIDS affects people of all gender and age, most HIV research in Botswana has mainly focused on either girls or women, neglecying the boy child. This paper discusses the reasons for this neglect, explores the various factors that predispose the boy child to HIV infection and concludes by outlining strategies for the wayforward. The paper points out the need for more reliable data on the number of boys infected with HIV and calls for intensive HIV education with special emphasis on skills and social norms. It argues that the key challenges in addressing the needs of boys at risk of HIV infection lay in convincing the public that children have to be tested for HIV and, deconstructing traditional concepts of masculinity in ways that fit new realities.