| Author | Ngo Thi Thanh Huong |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GD-08-06 |
| Subject(s) | AIDS (Disease) in women--Vietnam
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| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Gender and Development Studies, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. GD-08-06 |
| Abstract | HIV/AIDS in the mining industry could be considered a time bomb in the process of human development. In Vietnam, there are very few studies about this problem, especially regarding the gender issue in HIV/AIDS. Therefore, this research is aimed at assessing gendered HIV/AIDS vulnerability among the mining population in Quangninh, one of the biggest industrial cities in Vietnam. Re search data was collected from 300 miners (178 men and 122 women) who were working in the mining area including both open cast and pit mining. Qualitative (32 in-depth interviews, 7 focus group discussions) and quantitative methods (300 respondents in survey with stru ctured questionnaire) were used to collect data. Furthermore, key informant interviews (12 people) were also conducted to get more information about the research subjects. The research results showed that women are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection in the context of mining. Because of the masculine cultural environment, women miners have had to suffer from hard and rough working as well as living conditions and sexual harassment which, coupled with their poor socioeconomic background, made them vulnerable to enter sex work and be exposed to HIV/AIDS risk. Wives of migrant miners are particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS due to their triple roles: as woman, as migrant and as miner. However, masculinization, which characterized women who worked for a long time in mining, helped women become stronger and invulnerable in this environment. The research findings also indicated that the masculine culture enabled men miners to engage in risk behaviors such as drug use, having sex with multiple partners and homosexuality while their lack of self-control, their lack of concern for their families and their higher income facilitated those behaviors which dire ctly increase their HIV/AIDS vulnerability, and the vulnerability of their spouse. In brief, women miners’ HIV/AIDS vulnerabil ity is a result of gender social norms and power relations. In contrast, for men miners, hegemonic masculinity and its social constructions increased their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. |
| Year | 2008 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. GD-08-06 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Gender and Development Studies (GD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Doneys, Philippe; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Resurreccion, Bernadette P.;Sajor, Edsel E.; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2008 |