Migrant labour, sexual networking and multi- partnered sex in Malawi

This paper shows the possible connections between migrant labour, multi-partnered sexual activity, sexual networking and the spread of AIDS in Malawi. It focuses on the economic, social, cultural and mobility factors, and their effect on the spread of the disease. Migrant labourers, like truck drivers, itinerant traders, and prostitutes, are a high-risk group both at the place of their work, and especially in their areas of origin. The paper also looks at the difficulties of research on HIV and AIDS among the returned migrants. The sensitivity of the topic, and the political nature in which it is often understood in Malawi, are factors that limit its objective and effective analysis. Another limiting factor is the consideration of human rights issues when interviewing actual or potential HIV patients. The information on which the paper is based comes mostly from field interviews with returned Malawian migrant mine workers to South Africa. The first AIDS case in Malawi was documented in 1985 (see Cheesbrough 1986a,b). Since then, there has been a growing body of literature on the status of the disease in the country. Much of it is unpublished, focusing primarily on how HIV is, or is not transmitted, prevention measures, counselling, highrisk behaviour, condom use, misconceptions of the disease, and the effects on the country’s economic and social structures (Kalilani 1989; Kishindo 1990; Carr 1992; Hubley 1993; Cuddington and Hancock 1994; Brown 1994; Chimtengo 1995; Kakhongwe and Kornfield 1996). There are also a few studies that deal with the demographic and geographical patterns of the disease (Ministry of Health 1991a; Becon 1991; L’Herminez, Hofs and Chiwaya 1993); policy implications and guidelines (Broadhead and Moorhouse 1992) and the public awareness campaign mounted by the government and other institutions (Ministry of Health 1991b; AIDS Secretariat 1994). One major deficiency in this literature is that there are only a few studies that deal with the high-risk groups such as prostitutes, school students, drug users, truck drivers, itinerant traders and tourists (e.g. Chilowa, Dallabetta and Wangel 1991; Kishindo 1993, 1995a,b; Liner, McAuliffe and Chilowa 1993; McAuliffe 1994; Chirwa 1995; Chimtengo 1995). Though it has been noted that the fast spread of HIV infection in Malawi is predominantly due to the prevalence of multi-partnered sexual relations in the 18-45 age group, there are no comprehensive studies on this topic. The sexual networking of the high-risk occupational groups also remains insufficiently studied. The only exceptions are the prostitutes (bar girls) who have been adequately studied by Kishindo (1993, 1995a,b), Chimtengo (1995) and Cammack (1996). The purpose of this paper is to show the possible connections between migrant labour, multi-partnered sexuality, sexual networking and the spread of AIDS. Economic, social, cultural and mobility factors affect the pattern of the disease. Migrant labourers, like truck drivers, itinerant traders, and prostitutes, need to be treated as a high-risk group both at their place of work and in their areas of origin. At the place of work the migrant workers live as single men and often have sexual relations with local women, mostly in pubs, canteens, and