This study sets out to examine understandings of gender and sexual risks amongst
young Africans in the KwaMakhutha township, in KwaZulu-Natal. Young Africans
between the ages of 16 to 17 years old were interviewed to ascertain what they
perceive to be risky sexual behaviour and why young people engage in such
activities. The study also aimed to understand whether young people understood the
negative consequences of risky behaviour. Such insight from young peoples'
perspectives is very helpful in understanding what schools can do to prevent risk
taking activities especially in the context of AIDS. KwaZulu-Natal is the epicentre of
the AIDS pandemic in South Africa and young people between the ages of 15-24 are
very vulnerable with young women facing disproportionate vulnerability. A qualitative
research method was used in this study and ten in-depth interviews were conducted
in one of the high schools in the KwaMakutha Township, outside Durban. The study
finds that gender inequalities is central in understanding sexual risk and
constructions of masculinity and femininity reproduce sexual and gender relations of
power where young women remain vulnerable. Schools should take the voices of
young people seriously and address gender inequalities as a key area of
intervention. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/9456 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Mirindi, Mushagalusa Marcel. |
| Contributors | Bhana, Deevia., Anderson, Bronwynne. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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