Women’s Socio-Economic Rights in the Context of HIV and AIDS in South Africa: Thematic Focus on Health, Housing, Property and Freedom from Violence

Abstract

The thesis finds that the majority of women affected by HIV and AIDS in South Africa still live in conditions of poor access to health services, inadequate access to housing, limited access to property and live amidst gender-based violence. Nevertheless, there exist legal protections and jurisprudential developments in the country that are significant for the realisation of women's rights in the context of HIV and AIDS. The thesis concludes that the law is not the ultimate site for change to improve women's lives, but that applied with other efforts, can be transformative.