Botswana has been ranked the friendliest country to people living with HIV/AIDS. A March 1st survey published by Afrobarometer, a Pan-African non-partisan research network, ranked first among thirty three (33) countries surveyed for being tolerant for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Botswana topped the rankings with a high score of 96%. According to the research, tolerance for people living with HIV/AIDS is highest in countries with high HIV/AIDS prevalence. It is reported that Botswana is experiencing one of the most severe HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world. The national HIV prevalence rate among adults ages 15 to 49 is reported to be 24.8 percent, which is the second highest in the world, behind Swaziland.
However, of the 33 countries surveyed Botswana ranks 7th as the country most tolerant of homosexuals with a score of 43%. This figure was measured by the percentage saying they would welcome or would not be bothered having a homosexual neighbour. Contrary to popular belief, Africans express high degrees of tolerance for people from different ethnic groups, people of different religions, immigrants, and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), the report states. Even so, homophobia is not a universal phenomenon in Africa.
At least half of all citizens in four African countries say they would not mind or would welcome having homosexual neighbours. However, the report also finds that a large majority of African are intolerant of homosexual citizens. Across the 33 countries, an average of 78% of respondents say they would “somewhat dislike” or “strongly dislike” having a homosexual neighbor making Africa relatively homophobic.
