Desperate Zim women selling sex
2008-08-03 14:12
Maputo - Unicef is concerned by high levels of HIV/Aids infection in Mozambique pushed by unsafe sex practices.
Unicef executive director, Ann Venemann, told reporters on the weekend at the end of her three-day official visit to Mozambique that her organisation "was concerned by high levels of HIV infection in the country".
"We are working with the ministry of interior in dealing with uncontrolled immigration of Zimbabwean women who are engaged in sexual activities in central Mozambique," said Venemann in response to questions from reporters.
She however could not be drawn into revealing the details of the programmes being implemented in partnership with the Mozambican interior ministry to response to the situation in central Mozambique where hundreds of Zimbabwean women are engaged in prostitution.
Pushed to the edge by spiralling economic woes which have seen inflation galloping to record levels of over 6 000%, hundreds of Zimbabwean women are resorting to forages into Mozambique where they sell sex in order to survive - mainly near Zimbabwe and Mozambican border towns.
Venemann said her organisation was involved in grassroots projects with local organisations in the provinces of Manica, Sofala and Gaza to combat the spread of disease.
According to official figures, Mozambique's HIV prevalence rate among its 16 to 49 age group is estimated at more than 16%.
However, NGOs and other independent health bodies estimate the figure has since been pushed up several notches because of high levels of poverty.
- SAPA