This practice is reinforced by gender stereotypes, cultural and social norms that view men with more than one sexual partner as acceptable and even desirable.

A SADC think-tank meeting in Maseru, Lesotho, in 2003 acknowledged that Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships (MCP) combined with low consistent condom use and low levels of male circumcision are the key drivers of HIV in Southern Africa.

This brought an initiative to trek out MCP: One Love campaign; ‘Protect Respect Talk’. In Malawi, the battle is being rolled by Pakachere Institute of Health and Development Communication a partner of the Soul City Regional Programme in 10 southern African countries.

Symon Sikwese, Pakachere Executive Director, said “scandals of MCP are not even newsworthy in radios, televisions and newspapers in Malawi. In daily conversations people even boost about sleeping around with more than one partner”.

Adding to this Grace Kumwenda, Pakachere Media Coordinator said “intergenerational relationships where a married man sleeps with young girls are very rampant in Malawi. In most cases, these girls are involved in such relationships for material and financial gain.”

Sex negotiations

She added that this kind of dynamic put most Malawian girls at risk of HIV because they are not assertive enough to negotiate for safer sex practice like condom use and HIV testing.

On what One Love campaign seeks to achieve, Sikwese said “it promotes risk awareness among Malawians.  More so, the campaign promotes positive ideals such as couple communication, faithfulness, correct and consistent condom use and HIV testing”.

“Among the youth the campaign promotes delayed sexual debut, life skills, abstinence, sexuality education and others. The programmes deal with the topics in a very open way so as to promote community dialogue around the issue of MCP, sexuality and HIV,” he explained.

Considering Malawi’s culture of silence on sexuality issues, Sikwese said One Love campaign is unique in that it has succeeded in exposing some of the behaviours that seemed to be hidden.

“The campaign has been crafted in a way that it has opened up discussion that should have been censored on radio and TV,” said Sikwese.

But what does the behaviour of MCP stipulates about sexual and reproductive health information in Malawi?

Timothy Bonyonga a sexual and reproductive health expert said a good number of Malawians lack information about sexuality issues especially in families.

Bonyonga attributed MCP behaviour to culture of silence which bars women from opening up about their sexual needs to their husbands. He also forwarded the blame on men for resorting to other women rather than discussing with their spouses.

He also noted that when men or women find out that their spouse is going out with another person they resort to fight back by finding another partner too. As many families engage in this behaviour they develop a sexual network that becomes a chain for spread of HIV.

Trust

“What we needed is to love our partners and trust them by being faithful and speaking out about our sexual needs in the most suitable manner,” said Bonyonga.

During random interviews around Malawi’s commercial city of Blantyre, many people accepted that Malawian culture of silence is the main contributor to continuing spread of HIV.

“Culturally, we don’t expect women to initiate sex in our families. Both men and women are not satisfied so they seek extra marital sex so as to get satisfaction,” said Bessam Mvundula.

Another resident, Melvis Dolozi called for a need for families to be taught of sexuality issues before getting married so that there should be openness in families. She said most couples are not oriented about how to handle sexuality matters.

One Love campaign faces some challenges. “The issues that the campaign deals with are very sensitive and to others are regarded as explicit.  The key challenge therefore, has been to get some of the traditional broadcasters to air some of the critical content which they regard as ‘too open’,” said Kumwenda.

Worldwide, Southern Africa remains the epicenter of the HIV epidemic with a prevalence rate of approximately 11% as compared to the global average of 1%. About 40% of people living with HIV and AIDS are in Southern Africa.

In 2007, HIV prevalence among Malawian adults (15-49 years) was at 11.9 % (UNAIDS 2008).