Capital Punishment Essays (1335 words) - Human Rights, Penology

Capital Punishment Patricia A. Stegall Philosophy 40, Ethics May 6, 1998 The Case for Capital Punishment Society, in general, agrees that the taking of an innocent life is an unforgivable act, and that the rape of children is particularly heinous. I will argue that all persons convicted of the crime of murder or the rape of a child under ten years of age should be given a manditory death penalty. Capital punishment is not only justifiable but is morally correct and should be the mandatory sentence for such crimes once an individual is found guilty. It would be neither unjust nor immoral to execute such an individual. It is not logical or rational to believe that a person raised in our society does not know that the crimes of murder or the rape of a child will not be tolerated. Regardless of an individual's background or socio-economic status, individual choices lead to results that carry personal responsibility. It is inappropriate to make excuses for these criminals simply because they were not reared in well-to-do circumstances. neglected, or perhaps suffered abuse as a child. None of these forced them to make the choice to commit the crime. As stated by Ernest van den Haag, by committing the crime, the criminal volunteered to assume the risk. (1)If an individual commits the crime of murder, or rapes a child, that person has forfeited any moral right to continue to live, ev en if imprisoned for life. Their victim had no choice and no chance to live a fruitful, productive life. Why should society be required to pay the costs associated with imprisonment? A society, which values the lives of its citizens, has the right to exercise capital punishment for those who have been convicted after due process of law. The U.S. Constitution provides for punishment of capital crimes so there is certainly no trouble with it in the law. However, some of the most impassioned arguments against capital punishment are the possibility of convicting the wrong person, and discriminatory application of the law. Abolitionists also argue that we should base on justice system on reform and rehabilitation. First, the possibility of convicting an innocent person is often cited as an argument that the death penalty is unjust. One Internet source indicates that 350 people were wrongly convicted of homicide or capital rape from 1900- 1985. (2) (It should be noted that the article does not specify how many of these individuals were later released.) In our text, Ernest van den Haag refers to a study conducted by Hugo Bedau that found that of 7000 executions during that same period, only 25 were purportedly innocent. (Ibid. p.286) The execution of an innocent person appears much less a risk than the risk that a person guilty of this type of violence would repeat the crime. Criminals kill people knowing that they will live and either spend the rest of their lives in prison or get out in 10 to 20 years. Consistent application of the capital punishment laws would have a deterrent effect on some potential murderers if not all. While states that do carry death penalty provisions significantly outn umber those that do not, there appears to be a certain reluctance to apply the laws. As a result, many violent criminals no longer fear the court system. Further, capital punishment laws have undergone many decades of review by the highest courts in the country and are anything but capriciously imposed. A further argument against the innocent are convicted is found in a review of the extensive appeal system that has been mandated by the courts that may take as much as fourteen years to complete. Even if this were a legitimate concern, the chances of an innocent person being wrongly convicted are very slim. The second argument, discriminatory application holds that a disproportional number of non-whites receive the death penalty upon conviction, in particular, a black convicted of murdering a white. This is really an argument against a flawed justice system that favors one class of citizen's over another. Unequal distribution among the guilty is irrelevant to the morality of the punishment. The system is far from perfect but can be improved. In the past, women were much less likely to be

6 Tips for More Efficient Reading in Grad School

6 Tips for More Efficient Reading in Grad School Got a long reading list? Welcome to graduate school! Expect to read multiple articles and, depending on your field, even a book each week. While nothing will make that lengthy reading list go away, you can learn how to read more efficiently and get more out of your reading for less time. Here are 6 tips that many students (and faculty) often overlook. Scholarly reading requires a different approach than leisure reading The biggest mistake that students make is approaching their school assignments as if they were leisure reading. Instead, academic reading requires more work. Read prepared to take notes, reread paragraphs, or look up related material. Its not simply a matter of kicking back and reading. Read in multiple passes Sounds counter-intuitive, but the efficient reading of academic articles and texts requires multiple passes. Dont start at the beginning and finish at the end. Instead, scan the document multiple times. Take a piecemeal approach wherein you skim for the big picture and fill in the details with each pass. Start small, with the abstract Begin reading an article by reviewing the abstract and then the first couple of paragraphs. Scan the headings and read the last couple of paragraphs. You might find that there is no need to read further as the article may not suit your needs. Read in more depth If you deem that the material is necessary for your project, reread it. If an article, read the introduction (especially the end where the purpose and hypotheses are outlined) and conclusion sections to determine what the authors believe they studied and learned. Then look at the method sections to determine how they addressed their question. Then the results section to examine how they analyzed their data. Finally, reexamine the discussion section to learn about how they interpret their results, especially within the context of the discipline. Remember that you don't have to finish Youre not committed to reading the entire article. You can stop reading at any time if you decide that the article isnt important - or if you think you have all the information that you need. Sometimes a detailed skim is all that you need. Adopt a problem-solving mindset Approach an article as you would a jigsaw puzzle, working from the edges, the outside, in. Locate the corner pieces that establish the overall framework for the article, then fill in the details, the centerpieces. Remember that sometimes you wont need those inside pieces to grasp the material. This approach will save you time and help you get the most from your reading in the least amount of time. This approach also applies to reading scholarly books. Examine the beginning and end, then headings and chapters, then, if needed, the text itself. Once you step away from the one reading one-pass mindset youll find that scholarly reading is not as hard as it looks. Consider each reading strategically and decide how much you need to know about it and stop once youve reached that point. Your professors may not agree with this approach, but it can make your work much more manageable as long as you review some articles in detail.

Thiory and idiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thiory and idiology - Essay Example This paper will critically examine the specific changes that Anarchism and Marxism advocate for and in addition to this, the paper will also will also seek to contrast and compare what the resulting society might look like with respect to the application of the socio-economic and political characteristics that are advocated for by the Anarchism and Marxism. Marx argued that capitalism was essentially the most progressive economic system to have ever been developed and that it was an essential stage in the development of socialism. He is also noted to have attributed most of the ills that are prevalent in the contemporary society as having been brought about by capitalism1. According to Marx, capitalism had led to the development of an economic production mode that allows for the poor individuals to continue being poorer while the richer keep on getting even richer. He also believed that the profits of capitalism are taken from the amount that happens to be produced over and above the actual wage that is paid to the customer. In his book, Sargent point out that Marx was of the belief that the state was the tool that the dominant bourgeoisie class used in the suppression of any attempts by proletariat class to better themselves2. He also contended that as long as the bourgeoisie remained as the dominant class in society, the government w ould constantly remain as its tool and as such it could never be made responsive to the innate needs of other classes. Marx’s ultimate goal of full communism advocated for the development of a situation where there would be no state in a similar development to that promoted by anarchists3. Although its initial roots are traced back to classical Greece, of note is that anarchism emerged as a major modern ideology at about the same time as Marxism. The term anarchy is primarily used to denote a situation where there is no ruler or chief. Anarchists believe that classes

Trafficking in Person's Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Trafficking in Person's - Research Paper Example Whereas the individual reader may be thoroughly familiar with the trade in illicit substances and/or narcotics, the level of knowledge that many societal shareholders have with respect to human trafficking is quite limited. One need look no further than the way in which popular culture and media portray drug smugglers, drug addicts, and each and every wrong of the supply and demand chain for narcotics to realize that this has primarily come to be the focal point of discussion and analysis with respect to the illicit/underground economy. However, according to 2011 statistics, human trafficking is a $35 billion a year global industry (Knepper, 2013). Moreover, from an ethical and moral standpoint, the trade of human beings and the buying and selling of these individuals as if they were merely a commodity to be consumed and disposed of as perhaps the most troubling aspect of all. Whereas it is true that the impacts of illegal drugs have far-reaching consequences that can harm any number of individuals in any socioeconomic strata in any country, human trafficking is unique due to the fact that it is one of the only exhibitions of slavery that currently exist within the world. Sadly, human trafficking is increasing with each and every passing year as the demands for cheap labor, sexual services, and healthy babies only continues to rise with the increasing population of the world. As a function of this sad reality, the following analysis will seek to analyze the scope, definition, impacts, policies, levels of governmental engagement, and factors that ultimately encourage the prevalence and continued exhibition of human trafficking around the globe. Although the greatest emphasis with regards human trafficking will necessarily be with respect to the way it is evidenced within the United States, it is impossible to engage such a topic without realizing and appreciating the global ramifications that the increasingly interconnected world demonstrates. Within such a mann er, global aspects of human trafficking will be discussed and engaged interchangeably with domestic concerns. The United Nations typically defines human trafficking as international organized transnational crime. For this very purpose, the United Nations reached an international agreement entitled â€Å"The UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime†; specifically targeting trafficking protocol is one of the first major issues that must be engaged. With regards to the actual definition of human trafficking, this particular analysis will refer to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a means of defining the way in which the reader should approach the issue throughout the course of this analysis (Onuoha, 2011). As such, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines human trafficking as the following: â€Å"†¦the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of the production, of fraud, a perception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or the giving up of receiving payments or benefits to achieve the consent that a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs†

Global Poverty Essay Example for Free

Global Poverty Essay To be born into poverty without a choice is possibly one of the greatest misfortunes that any person can be victimized with. According to Howard Hubbard author of Fighting Poverty to Build Peace, â€Å"An estimated 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $1.25 a day.† It leaves a person with a huge challenge of survival and an extremely difficult task of creating a better future for themselves. To understand the implications of poverty across the world, one needs to first thoroughly understand its definition. It is often difficult to establish what the definition of poverty is, because, being poor, differs dramatically across countries all around the world. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) poverty is defined in two different ways, human poverty and income poverty.[1] The definition of poverty from a human development point of view means â€Å"the denial of choices and opportunities most basic to human development to lead a long, healthy, creative life and to enjoy a decent standard of living, freedom, self-esteem and respect of others,† Alters pg 1. According to UNDP human poverty is more than income poverty. In many of the poorest nations across the world people die everyday due to poverty. Poverty proves to be one of main problems that plague the global society. I will discuss the different kinds of poverty, the causes and solutions of poverty in the global society. In the global society, poverty makes itself prominent in a variety of categories depending on each individual economy. [2]The World Bank facts for world poverty reveals that, a higher number of people live in poverty than previously thought and this number is increasing day by day. This is the main reason why in most nations today inequality is on a high and this gap is continuously rising. It is difficult to measure national poverty lines across nations because the different classes have different percentage of income that is to be spent on food. In some of the most underdeveloped and poorest economies of the world such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Afghanistan and Haiti people live in widespread poverty and dire living conditions .[3] According to the United Nations list of least developed countries in 2009, 33 were in Africa, 15 in Asia and 1 was in Latin America.[4] In other areas such as much of Europe and the United States poverty exists, but the gap of comparison is very large in comparison to a county like Angola. Poverty creates a division among  nations. That division has been growing now for a century or more. Poor countries are most often sidelined by the richer and more developed ones. This was the case of the colonization of countries like India by the British. Rich and powerful countries have the advantage of modern technology and arms to subdue the poorer ones. Although the United Nations has started helping poor countries they often feel indebted and dependent on their charity provider. The causes of poverty are many, however some of the main reasons that contribute to poverty in the world are: unemployment, lack of education, illiteracy, natural disasters and violence. The combination of all these factors can make any nation poor. This high level of inequality certainly affects the social cohesion and leads to problems such as increasing crime and violence. It is a matter of fact that effect of poverty is being transferred from generation to generation. Poor people are often dejected and unwell, and due to that they’re unable to work.[5] The World Bank estimates that poverty has held at around 25 percent of the population since the mid-1990s. And because of population growth, the number of poor actually increased to around 128 million in the early 2000s. The countries adversely affected by poverty do not progress, as the there is a little room for the development of the population. The social and cultural factors of a nation impact the economic situation of a country. The reasons for poverty differ based on the culture and the social system within a nation. People throughout the world are subjected to poverty, whether it’s due to illiteracy, unemployment and or a family history issue. A history of poverty in the family leads to many physical as well as mental problems. Poor parents do not have the resources to get their children educated. This results in the children having to deal with a lot of obstacles when trying to get jobs. The discrimination is felt acutely by them as they do not have the required skills to cope. Most often such poverty also leads to abuse. This sometimes results in bad habits in some families, like smoking, drinking and drugs. â€Å"Improving the access of the poor to assets and services will help the m share in, and contribute to, economic growth,† says Jaime Saavedra and Omar Arias author of Stuck in a Rut. The environment in the form of natural disasters plays a significant role in the cause of  increasing poverty in less developed nations. According to Akin Mabogunje the author of Poverty and Environmental Degradation: Challenges Within the Global Economy, â€Å"In many developing countries, inadequate attention is given to environmental management in areas occupied by the poor, and therefore, they are exposed to numerous environmental hazards.† When a country is affected by many different natural disasters including earthquakes, droughts, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, windstorms, and forest fires it completely devastates the poor and greatly diminishes their chances of escaping poverty. [6] According to the World Bank two billion people have been affected by Natural Disasters since the mid 1990’s. [7] In addition, people in countries that are engaged in some kind of conflict or war whether the countries are developed or developing typically experience some kind of economic hardship.[8] Armed conflict often makes countries that have a high number of poor much worse. War and conflict often results in a refugee status for many of the most impoverished people in the world. This results in basic denial of human rights such as the right to seek legal employment which further diminishes impoverished condition.[9] All over the world people suffer the consequences of poverty. It is often seen the effects of poverty is not improving and is continually passed on from generation to generation. This vicious cycle results in families concentrating on what is happening in the current moment, not focusing on the future or on how to better their own lives. People around the world that suffer from poverty concentrate on the basic element of survival like the need for food and shelter. Often making future plans to change the cycle of poverty from generation to generation to become unimportant when a family doesn’t have access to food, water or a place to sleep. [10]Democracy starts at home, but the scope, and consequences, of global economic decisions often extend far beyond national borders. The consequences of poverty include lack of opportunities, physical and mental illness, drug abuse and physical abuse, homelessness and illiteracy and lack of educational development, etc. Poverty is the most prevailing problem in the world. In today’s society we see that the richer are becoming richer, while the poor continually suffer  from increasing poverty. The problem not only lies with the people, but also with the government. The government corruption is the leading problem in the most of the countries, where the funds raised for the benefit of the poor are being used in an illegal and often detrimental way. The government must manage the economic system efficiently and use the funds in appropriate way to solve the issue of poverty. Currently as the poverty has become a world problem, the countries should form a union and think for a common solution against this problem. They should take the aid of all the ways to motivate the people to come out of the poverty. The governments can seek help of volunteers to educate and provide the knowledge on health, sanitation and many other factors, where poor families can easily relate to. On a global level, organizations like the United Nations need to put in place mandatory policy regarding solutions to poverty. Some of these recommendations include: create poverty-focused foreign assistance programs that focus of poverty reduction and creating government accountability for poverty. In addition, create policies that focus on reform of trade and agricultural policies to help with sustainable development and protect small farmers and business owners. The United Nations needs to provide political and financial support that fuel peacekeeping missions to reduce violence that impoverishes many nations around the world. Lastly, governments need to promote continual peacekeeping efforts to areas that suffer from continual conflict and poverty to promote sustainable development. [11] One of the main solutions to reduce poverty is education and literacy. As illiteracy and education are highly interrelated, people must choose to overcome the illiteracy in the world. As the knowledge increases, the access to employment also increases and use of technology also makes the people more self-sufficient. [12]Education also enables the poor and disadvantaged in society to escape poverty through their own efforts, that is, to counter irreversibility’s and poverty traps. People who attain a higher level of education are much less likely to take part in the working poor, opposed to those who have a lower level of education. [13]Human development is now part of the equation, meaning that education, health, life expectancy, and other indicators of well-being are given greater attention. Focusing on immediate issues and directly on your own domestic problems will diminish poverty across the world and open up possibilities of planning for the  future. In order for the global society to prosper we need to take notice of ideas like investments in agriculture, healthcare, and education. This idea for global development will create an effective change in the long run.[14] Poverty and population growth are very much interrelated. By reducing these two problems improvements can be made in health and the whole well being of society. A goal of the international community as a whole is to improve general health by ensuring sufficient nutrition. [15] In 2004, President Musharraf of Pakistan said that population growth was the main factor retarding economic growth, poverty alleviation, and action on joblessness.† Since the population growth keeps increasing the demands for natural resources keeps rising beyond the means of supporting the current population. According to the article Critical links: Population, Health, and the Environment, ninety-nine percent of world population growth is occurring in less developed countries. This means we need reduce global population growth by creating laws that focus on social policy that will encourage smaller families for less developed impoverished nations that cannot sustain large population growth. This policy will reduce the fertility rate, and help slow the growth of the global populations. For example according to Lester Brown’s article Can We Build A Sustainable Economy, â€Å"Iran, facing both land, hunger and water scarcity, now limits public subsidies for housing, health care, and insurance to three children per family. In Peru, President Alberto Fujimori, who was elected overwhelmingly to his second five-year term in a predominantly Catholic country, said in his inaugural address in August 1995 that he wanted to provide better access to family-planning services for poor women.â₠¬  Being born into poverty is the worst disadvantage that any human can be at. Combating poverty will take a unified effort on the part of all the worlds nations, especially the ones who are at the helm of international affairs. Organizations like the United Nations will have to be at the forefront and lead the way for the others to emulate. Alongside poverty, well also have to focus on the population growth and pool in efforts to stem it. Although the problem of world poverty is a one of biblical proportions, it is not insurmountable, and it too can be tackled. But it would require perhaps the greatest coordinated effort that mankind has ever witnessed in its history. Such a well organized coordinated effort would not be possible if there is a  lack of consciousness on a global level. But the basic problem with human kind is that, they restrict their concern to themselves only, without caring much for those who are the victim of a poorer luck. Even if we start taking care of poverty, then we only care about our won nations, instead of dealing it on a global level. But all of us should remember that poverty is inhuman and is not constricted to any particular nation. Therefore it would be our duty to stop such inhuman treatment of human race and become less selfish so that we can deal with a serious issue like poverty on a global level. Bibliography Hubbard, Howard J. Fighting Poverty to Build Peace. America. 09 Feb. 2009: 11. eLibrary. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. De Souza, Roger-Mark; Williams, John S; Meyerson, Frederick A B. Critical links: Population, health, and the environment. Population Bulletin. 01 Sep. 2003: 2. eLibrary. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. Kent, Mary M; Haub, Carl. Global Demographic Divide. Population Bulletin. 01 Dec. 2005: 3. eLibrary. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. Lester R. Brown. We Can Build a Sustainable Economy. Futurist 30. (1996) eLibrary. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. Mabogunje, Akin L. Poverty and environmental degradation: Challenges within the global economy. Environment 1(2002):8. eLibrary. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. Saavedra, Jaime; Arias, Omar S. Stuck in a Rut. Finance Development. 01 Dec. 2005: 18. eLibrary. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. Alters, Sandra M. World Poverty. Detroit, MI: Gale, Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Anderson, Judith. Ending Poverty and Hunger. Mankato, MN: Sea-To-Sea Publications, 2010. Print. Shah, Anup. â€Å"Causes of Poverty.† Global Issues, Updated: 28 Nov. 2010. Accessed: 14 Dec. 2010. 9 Hertel, Shareen. The private side of global governance. Journal of International Affairs. 01 Oct. 2003: 41. eLibrary. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. Shalendra D. Sharma The Promise of Monterrey: Meeting the Millennium Development Goals. World Policy Journal 3(2004):51. eLibrary. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. Lancaster, Carol. The New Face of Development. Current History. 01 Jan. 2008: 36. eLibrary. Web. 15 Dec. 2010.

Gender inequality in the spread of HIV AIDS

Gender inequality in the spread of HIV AIDS In December 2002, Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the United Nations at the time wrote in the New York Times, AIDS has a womans face (2002). Women constitute 57 percent of infections in sub-Saharan African countries that are experiencing HIV epidemics (UNAIDS Report 2004). Furthermore in sub-Saharan Africa, young women aged 15 to 24 are more than three times as likely to be infected as young men (UNAIDS Report 2004). In this essay I will argue, with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa that the feminised epidemic that is taking place is being exacerbated largely due to Gender Inequality. I will argue this is the case because this is because women are socially, economically, and culturally more vulnerable to infection than men. Prevalent issues such as womens financial dependence on men, both physical and sexual abuse from their partners and the fact that it is customary for males to have multiple partners are key gender aspects that are crucial to the spread of HIV/AIDS in the regi on. I will start by defining what is meant by Gender Inequality and why it is important in this context and then consider the reasons with an emphasis on notions of masculinity and femininity to explain why the proportion of women being infected is rising. However, although this essay will primarily focus on women, it is important to note the gender aspects relating to the spread of HIV amongst men, in particular the pressure to perform and satisfy multiple sexual partners. Throughout the essay I will relate the issue of gender inequality to the themes of globalisation, poverty and governance and leadership whilst giving reference to the examples of Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa to support my argument. So what exactly is gender inequality and why is it important? When talking about gender inequality in sub-Saharan Africa, the issue is clear. Tallis relates the term best, remarking that we are analysing the position and status of women in relation to the position of men and the po sition of other women (2000: 59). The importance of gender inequality cannot be underestimated as it is evident at all stages of the prevention-care continuum. Gender inequality is perhaps the main problem area impeding HIV/AIDS prevention (Tallis 2000: 60). Furthermore, reports by several non-governmental organizations such as UNESCO, the UNAIDS Inter-Agency Task Team on Education and the Global Campaign for Education recognise that gender issues are key to the problem of HIV and AIDS (Oxfam 2008: 11). It is undisputed in the specialist HIV/AIDS field that gender roles and unequal gender relations are fuelling the epidemic by rendering women vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Gender inequality is most commonly seen in notions of masculinity and femininity across African societies. In South Africa, culture is generally male-dominated, with women traditionally given a lower social status. Men are socialised to believe that women are inferior and should be under their control; women are socialis ed to over-respect men and act submissively towards them (Health24 2009). In addition to their lower status, black African women generally have less access to safe housing and are often dependent on their male partners as breadwinners for support (Petros 2006: 72). Sex, for instance continues to this day to be defined primarily in terms of male desire with women being the relatively passive recipients of these passions(Seidel 2000).Dr. Seggasne Musisi, head of psychiatric consultation at Mulago Hospital relates effectively the psychology of sexual behaviour in Uganda. Control of sexual relations is purely with men. Women have no cultural or legal power to either promote or control their sexual health (Human Rights Watch 2003). In these male-dominated societies, the risk of HIV/AIDS is exacerbated further by risky sexual practise, both by men and by women (which will be discussed later). Traditionally men are accustomed to have multiple partners and practise sex outside of a relation ship, yet even suspected infidelity on a womans part is socially unacceptable and can easily result in violence or social exclusion (Ackerman and de Klerk 2002: 169). Misconceptions of prophylactic use in African societies only worsen the situation. Women are largely afraid to introduce subject of prophylactic protection for fear of domestic violence either for suspecting their husbands of having extramarital affairs or because they might be accused of adultery (Human Rights Watch 2003). Margaret Namusisi, 25 years old from Uganda explains the response when she asked her husband to wear a condom. When I tell him to use a condom he refuses. He accuses me of having other men. (Human Rights Watch 2003) There was also the concern from women that if they asked to use condoms during sex, it would lead to violence or financial abandonment (World Health Organization 2003). Namusisi comments on the reaction she faces when she refuses to have sex without protection, He goes away and doesnt pr ovide. So I have sex with him so that he can look after the children and wont fight (Human Rights Watch 2003) Globalisation and national economic policies have played a major role in heightening existing gender inequalities, increasing the economic dependence women have on their partners. The World Health organization has repeatedly criticized the impact globalization has had in sub- Saharan Africa, forwarding Nigeria as an example. It argues that, in Nigeria, globalisation has benefited the rich (mostly men) but penalised the poor, less educated, low skilled or unemployed fall within this other group, which relate to women (1990). What this equates to is that the average Nigerian woman finds it increasingly hard to leave abusive or risk based relationships because of increased economic dependence (Zierler and Krieger 1998:). Heavy criticism has been levelled also at the Structural Adjustment Program that was incorporated into developing countries. Despite the many benefits that Str uctural Adjustment Programmes provide to developing countries such as building up economies and changing national legislature in order to create an environment more open to incoming investment from abroad; SAPs have many flaws. PrimarilySAPs the main flaw affects the supply and the demand for health services through health spending cuts and also by reducing household income, which leaves people with less money for necessary treatment. (World Health Organization). Yet many are denied access to appropriate preventive and curative services especially in parts of the world where their needs are greatest. As the epidemic has progressed, women have taken increasing responsibility for those who are sick or orphaned by AIDS yet they have been allowed little influence over the relevant policy and planning decisions (Doyal in Tallis 2000:87). It is important to note that this is not solely the case in Nigeria, but in the majority of sub- Saharan Africa where poverty affects 315 million people and one in two of people in Sub Saharan Africa survive on less than one dollar per day (Food4Africa 2011) What SAPs and the aforementioned factors produce a society where poverty drives Women resorting to increasingly risky sexual behaviours as part of multiple livelihood strategies (Ahonsi 1999) Entering prostitution is not a personal choice in many cases but the last resort of women who have been structurally disadvantaged in every way and left with no other resource but their bodies (Schoepf 1998: 65). It is widely recognised that men will pay more to have sex without a condom, which the sex workers find difficult to refuse due to their financial problems. Moreover, with the HIV/AIDS epidemic concentrated in the poorest parts of the world with 90% of HIV positive cases living in the developing world UNAIDS/WHO (1997); it is vital to have constitutional guidelines to safeguard the population from the growing epidemic. The lack of both extensive guidelines and implementation of pr ocedures within national constitutions for extensive responses to HIV/AIDS leads to situation where gender inequality will inevitably worsen For instance the Nigerian Constitution legislates for the protection of human rights but there is a need to create explicit benchmarks and guidelines to implement and develop effective rights-based response to gender inequality and HIV/AIDS (Aniekwu 2002: 35). South Africa has brought in laws detailing measures on promoting womens rights in what had been a predominantly patriarchal society among whites as well as blacks, the ANC has legalised abortion, given women equal power in marriage, cracking down on domestic violence and banning gender discrimination amongst other initaitives (Economist 2010). On paper South Africa has one of the worlds most commendable constitution containing an impressive legal arsenals for protecting womens rights and is ranked 4th out of 53 countries with regards to this (Economist 2010). But the gap between principl e and practice is often wide (Economist 2010); with women still more likely to be unemployed and 40% admit that their first experience of sex was a rape (Economist 2010). Furthermore intimate partner violence is associated with increased levels of HIV risk behaviour, examples being multiple partners, high levels of prostitution and excessive substance use. A potential link between HIV status and domestic violence has also been recognized with studies from Africa showing an increased risk of violence when the man is HIV positive (van der Straten in WHO 2003:54) or when the woman perceives herself to be at high risk of acquiring HIV from the man (Coker AL and Richter DL in WHO 2003: 54) Before concluding, it is important that the Government is the responsible party under relevant international instruments to protect rights (Aniekwu 2002: 35). But Presidents such as South Africas Jacob Zuma are doing nothing but aggravating the controversial issue of gender inequality through their own actions. Zuma used traditional notions of gender roles within Zulu society to form the basis of his defence against rape allegations claiming sexual intercourse with his accuser was demanded by his status as a Zulu male and to deny a woman sex in Zulu culture when she is ready would be tantamount to rape (Andrews 2007: 44). The Zuma case not only exposed national concerns about a culture of violence towards women but also revealed the ways in which gender roles were related via cultural norms. To conclude, It is important to note that men do suffer also as a result of gender inequality. For men, the pressure to perform sexually and with many partners places them at risk of HIV infection (Tallis 2000: 58). The male-orientated culture present in sub-Saharan African societies means that many men wont seek HIV services due to a fear of stigma and discrimination and the perception of being labelled weak in such a male dominated society, which then has an impact on their wives or partner s. Both Education and Health Programmes can improve access to services for both women and men by removing financial barriers, bringing services closer to local communities and tackling HIV/AIDS. In this essay I have shown the combination of their sexuality and gender disadvantage in terms of cultural, economic and social factors places women more at risk of infection than men. Gender inequality has undoubtedly been a driving force in the spread of HIV/AIDS and will continue to do so until traditional notions of the roles of men and women are overhauled. As whilst, the blame culture placed towards women continues, the HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS epidemic will be remain feminised and sub-Saharan African women will still find themselves faced with overt prejudice.

iPhone. Apple

Drew Adams Intro to Art (FINE 1001 002) Learning to Look 02/07/2013 Source. iPhone. Apple. 2009 Formal Analysis The product that is advertised in this advertisement is the new iPhone. The composition of this advertisement is only a concept version of the iPhone. It is showing only the back of the iPhone, which gives a different perspective of the main product which makes viewers want to learn more. The color palette of this advertisement consists of mostly dark colors with the print being in white.There is bold print that says, â€Å"Touching is believing†, this statement is bold to show the slogan of the advertisement. The advertiser uses the contrast of the black and white colors to give emphasis to the slogan, which could be the focal point of the picture. The black color maybe gives the sense that the product has great innovation. The viewer can clearly see the Apple logo and knows that the product is made with good quality. InterpretationThis advertisement could be trying to show how different apple is than other companies in terms of being innovative. The product being shown is the iPhone, this is Apple’s most prized product on the market. There is text in the middle that is in white and it says, â€Å"Touching is believing†. A key feature is shown as a subtitle under the main slogan that states, â€Å"The new, faster iPhone now with 3G†. The image characterizes the company as superior to other companies. Evaluation The main goal of this advertisement is to get the viewer to buy the product.It surely does a good job of grabbing the attention of the viewer and making people curious about their product. The main audience of this advertisement seems to be anyone who enjoys technology or wants the â€Å"newest† and â€Å"superior† device. By the look of the advertisement it seems to do a good job at reaching the audience that they want to reach. What is impressive about this advertisement is that it is simple yet effe ctive in getting the point across and getting the viewer to be curious. Image of Advertisement