Life history : exploring the lives of women living with HIV and disability in vulnerable contexts regarding their food security

Abstract

Multiple disadvantages can heighten the risk of food insecurity for people. Unfortunately, when we do not interrogate the cycles that arise, they remain poorly understood and, thus, inadequately addressed. Through life history methodology, we investigated the lives of two women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and disability to obtain a deeper understanding of their food security. The researchers were intermittently embedded within the community over four years and experienced many key events with the households. During this time, the lives of these women changed significantly, both because of the voluntary community intervention provided, and the shocks and stressors that impacted their lives. Three important themes developed in the analysis. Firstly, the women displayed resilience, which contributed to their food security. Notably, both women did not view their disabilities as disabling. Secondly, systemic failures not only limited food access but also compounded these women’s food insecurity. Thirdly, the international measures taken to derive population statistics of food and nutrition security (FNS) can be wholly inadequate or incorrect. This can lead to traditional food security programmes not providing a sustainable solution. Therefore, statistical information needs to be supplemented by lived realities to ensure that the community and policy response can make a meaningful difference.