It's an established fact that women in eastern and southern Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV for a range of socio-economic and biological reasons. In many countries, the number of young women living with HIV continues to exceed the number of their male counterparts. Evidence to support this statement abounds. We use this evidence to advocate for policy and programmes that will promote gender equality, eliminate violence against women and children and build the capacity of women to protect themselves against HIV. In the last 30 years of the epidemic we applied evidence to show that human rights and gender equity cannot be separated from prevention and treatment services and assert that the AIDS response must be rights-based. However, strategic information and scientific evidence can also mask the human element of the epidemic and lead us to forget the people behind all of the facts and figures.

This is why the "Not me, not mine: Women, girls and HIV" photography essay is so important. This essay-in the most visceral and conscious way-portrays the women who experience the reality of these facts and figures every day. Their stories are sometimes hard to read, sometimes poignant, tragic, eccentric, funny but always a source of hope and inspiration. 

The stories of the sixteen women in this volume* put a face and a voice to the tribulations-and indeed, triumphs-of women living with HIV in eastern and southern Africa. We need these stories told so that we never forget why we advocate for human rights and social protection of women and girls. There is no one better than the women themselves to keep reminding us that we will continue to face high rates of HIV infection unless we take collective, urgent and concerted action to respond to the needs of women and girls in this region. 

Professor Sheila Tlou

Director
UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa, 2013.

*Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS publication 2013

Anne leon

I picked up the newspaper one day and the front line picture screamed 'Ex-boyfriend infected seven women with AIDS.'

Christine

There are so many kids that are born positive, I know of a lot. All I can say to them is that they have to be strong, they are not alone.

Faghmeeda miller

I got married in April 1994 when everyone here in South Africa voted for the first time. I left my country, I went to Malawi with my husband, and six months later I came back a widow.

jennifer gatsi

I can be a messenger, I can be an instructor, I can be an advocate, I can be a mouthpiece, I can be a shoulder to cry on.

Herlyn !Gu/dao Uiras

When I was 16 years old, me and a friend wanted to go from Walvis Bay to Windhoek.  So we hitch hiked. We got a lift with two truck drivers from South Africa and they took us all the way to Windhoek.

helena nangombe

I contracted HIV when I was raped. I was in grade 1 when the guy started raping me, and it ended only in grade 6.

linda de villiers

First of all, I found out he had cheated and I asked him about condom use and he kind of said yes and I half believed him.

nomasomi limako

When I became pregnant, that’s when the reality came to my life, that this guy didn’t really love me. 

prudence mabele

Many of my friends have been killed. I’ve just lost a friend who’s lived with HIV for 14 years, who didn’t die of HIV, but he was murdered.

scholastica goagoses

He was a white man, he was from Europe, not an African white man. A wonderful guy, and I see that this is the way of earning money. Cheap way of earning money. Then I found out that he had HIV. He never told me he was HIV-positive.

Seabelo Kgarosi Atemlefac

They thought I was sleeping with a tokoloshe; a spiritual husband.

Maria Maropeng & Rose Mosuoane

The doctor says, no Maria… I say, Doctor, I want to know what’s wrong with me. You give me this stuff, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. You have to tell me.