The capabilities of male migrant miners in preventing and managing HIV: A Lesotho case study
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Date
2022
Authors
Nako, Esther Makuena
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Previous research has shown multiple HIV programmes at the mines and in Lesotho. However, despite the availability of these HIV programmes, Lesotho migrant miners who work in South Africa's mines are still plagued by HIV and are amongst the worst-hit groups. Evidence in the literature suggests fragmentation and ineffectiveness in HIV prevention and management strategies for Lesotho migrant miners. Other literature suggests that the ineffectiveness of the HIV prevention and management strategies results from irrelevant theoretical approaches that do not consider aspects of development in HIV prevention and management. This study used a qualitative approach, underpinned by the capabilities approach framework, to explore the capabilities of Lesotho male migrant miners working in the Free State mines in South Africa in preventing and managing HIV. The Capabilities Approach (CA) is a social justice theory founded by Economist-philosopher Amartya Sen in the 1980s. Fifty returning Lesotho migrant miners (those visiting home) who work in the Free State Province, South Africa and were either HIV positive or negative participated in the study. Data were collected in July 2021 on the streets of Maseru, Lesotho. Structured interviews with open-ended questions using purposive, snowballing and street outreach methods were used. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and translated into English and thematic analysis was used as the method of data analysis. The study concluded that structural factors like the culture at the mines that accept commercial sex often lead to the miners losing control over their daily lives, constricting their capability to prevent HIV. Other structural factors like policies, healthcare quality and the miners' circular migration patterns have characteristics that either expand or constrict the miners' capabilities to prevent and manage HIV. The miners had adequate personal conversion factors and abundant social conversion factors. However, these conversion factors operate amid many social constraints, making the cultivation of capabilities to prevent and manage HIV difficult. The miners' environmental conversion factors were inadequate, particularly those related to accessing ARVs in the mines, denying them some basic freedoms and entitlements. Finally, the miners engage in functionings that either expand or constrict their capabilities to prevent and manage HIV. For those who are HIV positive, functionings like being stigmatised and enduring the side-effects of ARVs, negatively affects their psychological, physical and social wellbeing.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D. (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, 2022
Keywords
Migration, migrant labour, capabilities, agency, heath, HIV