Children Are the Wealth of the Poor: Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Haiti

Abstract

At roughly two percent, Haiti has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the Caribbean. This thesis examines HIV transmission in Haiti, specifically the transmission of HIV from mother to child during pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding. Though the World Health Organization and other multilateral institutions have developed a protocol for prevention of mother-to-child transmission for those living in poverty, their recommendations fall short when faced with the reality of childbirth in rural Haiti. This work explores the class and gender disparities that put poor Haitian women at risk of contracting HIV. It also describes the social factors and international power dynamics that keep Haitians in poverty and make them vulnerable to HIV transmission. Furthermore, an examination of the current model of humanitarian assistance in Haiti shows that the existing system of aid does little to help poor mothers avoid passing HIV to their children.