Anarfi J K, Appiah E N, Awusabo-Asare K
Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, Legon.
Health Transit Rev. 1997;7 Suppl:225-42.
Itinerant trading is the second major economic activity for women who constitute an important chain in the distribution of goods in West Africa. Historically they have played important roles in the political economy of Ghana. With the outbreak of AIDS these women, some of whom move far away from home sometimes for days for even weeks, stand the risk of being infected with HIV through their activities. Using a combination of methods including a survey, focus-group discussions and conversations with key informants; we examine how the trade is organized, the characteristics of the traders, and the risk factors that are likely to predispose them to contracting the AIDS virus. Itinerant women traders appear highly vulnerable, as women and as highly mobile people. This state of affairs, occasioned by the extremely difficult conditions in which the women work, is exploited for the sexual gratification of the men with whom they come into contact. The attempt to reduce the spread of AIDs through education has to target itinerant women traders at the points of transaction.
流动贸易是构成西非商品分销重要链条的女性的第二大主要经济活动。从历史上看，她们在加纳的政治经济中发挥了重要作用。随着艾滋病的爆发，这些女性中有些人有时会离家很远，长达数天甚至数周，她们在活动中面临感染艾滋病毒的风险。我们采用了包括调查、焦点小组讨论以及与关键信息提供者对话等多种方法，研究了这种贸易的组织方式、交易者的特征以及可能使她们易感染艾滋病病毒的风险因素。流动女商人作为女性且流动性强，显得极易受到伤害。她们工作条件极其艰苦，这种状况被与她们接触的男性利用来满足性需求。通过教育减少艾滋病传播的努力必须在交易点针对流动女商人。
