Mother Earth, Pandemics, and Women's Reproductive Health in African Apostolic Indigenous Churches in Nyanga, Zimbabwe
Using the context of HIV and AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics, this article explores how the African Apostolic Indigenous churches (AAICs) of Nyanga in Zimbabwe responded to pandemics, particularly regarding women's sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). It is informed by findings from a...
| 1. VerfasserIn: | |
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| Medienart: | Elektronisch Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Verfügbarkeit prüfen: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2025
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| In: |
Journal for the study of religion
Jahr: 2025, Band: 38, Heft: 1, Seiten: 1-11 |
| weitere Schlagwörter: | B
Earth
B Sexual and reproductive health and rights B Women B Pandemics B HIV B Mother B African Apostolic Indigenous churches B Aids |
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Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Zusammenfassung: | Using the context of HIV and AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics, this article explores how the African Apostolic Indigenous churches (AAICs) of Nyanga in Zimbabwe responded to pandemics, particularly regarding women's sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). It is informed by findings from a qualitative research design in which in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were employed to gain insights from purposively sampled participants in the three AAICs of Nyanga. The article shows that the AAICs' stances on women's SRHR during pandemics were characterized by forbidding women from accessing modern biomedicines and healthcare services, which has significantly endangered women's health, especially during pregnancy and childbirth. The churches encouraged reliance on spiritual healing, preventing women from accessing necessary medical treatments such as Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) for HIV and vaccinations for COVID-19. The article argues that addressing the challenges faced by women in AAICs concerning their SRHR during pandemics requires a multifaceted approach for empowering women, promoting stakeholder dialogue, and integrating respectful, culturally sensitive healthcare services that acknowledge women's critical role as "Mother Earth." The article also calls for a shift in decision-making power within the churches to better protect women's health during pandemics. Beyond the scholarly contribution, the article contributes to improving health outcomes for women in AAICs during the global health crisis and equips religious leaders with the benefits of integrating modern medicines with spiritual care for the betterment of women's sexual and reproductive health rights. |
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| ISSN: | 2413-3027 |
| Enthält: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2025/v38n1a3 |
