Publications
HST provides free electronic access to over 500 health systems research related reports, publications and papers. Close to 300 of these are publications that have been commissioned and funded by the Trust. Topics include among others district systems development, drug supply management, human resource development, informatics, legislation, finance, environmental health, mental health, lessons learnt, nutrition and sexually transmitted diseases / HIV/AIDS. The main publication of the HST is the annual South African Health Review. From 2005 all HST publications will be available in low resolution only. To explore the range of publications HST offers use the Advanced search to search using a variety of criteria.

This paper examines the interplay between Feminity, sexuality and culture within the Shona culture in Zimbabwe. The three variables are interwoven intricately to the extent that any efforts to separate them are fruitless. In the Shona culture, patriarchal practices shape and perpetuate gender inequality and strip women of any form of control over their sexuality due to the fact that:
Custom in Africa is stronger than domination, stronger than the law, stronger even than religion. Over the years, customary practices have been incorporated into religion, and ultimately have come to be believed by their practitioners to be demanded by their adopted gods, whoever they may be (Lightfoot-Klein 1989:47 cited by Okome, 2003:71).

Seventeen years after Lightfoot-Klein made this important assertion, it is only appropriate that we continue to assess how culture continues to impact negatively on feminine sexuality despite all efforts that have been made to minimize its impact by challenging the status quo. Radical Feminism will be used to explain the interplay between feminity, sexuality and culture in the African society. Radical feminists argue that culture imprisons women leading to their subordination because of the patriarchal nature of society. Culture is a broad term that refers to the customs, institutions and achievements of a particular nation, people or group (South African Concise Oxford Dictionary, 2002:282).

This paper will focus on one aspect of culture, namely, patriarchy. Attempts will then be made to highlight how patriarchy is bred through the socialization process, which begins in the family, and how it (patriarchy) infiltrates into other sectors of society like religion, education, the economy and politics. Lastly, patriarchal practices which lead to the control of female sexuality by males will be highlighted. The main argument in this paper is that patriarchy leads to gender inequality and subordination of women to the extent that females do not have control over their sexuality.