How should the international community respond to the HIV crisis confronting women? This joint report, from the Joint United Nations (UN) Programme on HIV/AIDS, the UN Population Fund and the UN Development Fund for Women, is a call to action to address the triple threat of gender inequality, poverty and HIV/AIDS. It reviews various aspects of a comprehensive response. It argues that stronger leadership is needed, more resources should be mobilised and women should be empowered to claim their own rights.
Since 1985 the percentage of women among adults living with HIV/AIDS has risen from 35 per cent to 48 per cent, and the rise is particularly alarming amongst young women. 98 per cent of women with HIV/AIDS live in developing countries, and 77 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa. This is, fundamentally, a crisis of gender inequality: Women have less control over their own bodies; do not have access to property and financial resources and so are dependent on men; are often pushed into risky behaviour; and have to take on the extra burden of caring for HIV/AIDS patients and AIDS orphans.
There are a number of aspects of a response to this crisis which need to be addressed:
- Prevention: This has many facets: Education, health services, media campaigns, behaviour change, life skills building and job training. Women and girls need the knowledge and the means to prevent HIV infection.
- Treatment: Only about 3 per cent of people in need of antiretroviral treatment receive it. Women have difficulty accessing services, even when they are available. Treatment should be gender equitable and universal.
- Care: Women provide around 90 per cent of care for the sick globally, in addition to the many other tasks they already perform. Programmes are needed which identify carers and support them in this role.
- Education: Educated women are more likely to know how to protect themselves from infection, and education can facilitate behaviour change in men. Schools can be a primary source of information about protection methods, but need to provide a safe environment.
- Violence: This is both a cause and consequence of HIV/AIDS infection, and women beaten by their partners are much more likely to become infected. Women are also vulnerable in conflict and post-conflict situations. Men need to be involved in the solution.
- Women’s rights: Protecting women’s rights also protects them from HIV/AIDS. Women need to know they have rights, that they can claim them and that they will be supported by their communities and governments.
A concerted effort is needed at all levels to address the needs of women, and the violations of women’s rights and gender inequality that are driving the epidemic. Specific recommendations include:
- Women’s organisations should be supported in taking positive action.
- New and existing funding needs to be directed to gender-sensitive programmes that benefit women.
- Campaigns are needed to ensure that women have the knowledge and means to prevent HIV infection. Women should have equitable access to treatment and counselling.
- Girls’ primary and secondary education and women’s literacy should be promoted, and there should be swift and strong penalties for those who abuse pupils.
- No forms of violence against women should be tolerated.
- There should be counselling for victims, dialogue with community leaders and broad-based media campaigns.
- Laws should be codified and revised in line with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
- Women’s property and inheritance rights should be promoted and affordable legal services should be supported.
