Count HIV+ Women In! PWN Launches National Campaign on World AIDS Day

Oakland, Calif. -- This World AIDS Day, new biomedical research that may herald an end to the HIV pandemic is the hallmark of 2011, yet HIV remains a leading cause of death for Black American women. To address this crisis, the U.S. Positive Women's Network, a project of WORLD, launches the Count Us In! campaign, a national campaign to secure high quality women-centered HIV care and prevention.

The U.S. HIV epidemic among women is a human rights crisis, say advocates. Disproportionately impacting women of color, low-income women and women in the Southern and Northeastern U.S., many women living with HIV suffer from gender-based violence, stigma and discrimination, reproductive rights violations, and lack of employment opportunities. Nationally, over half of women living with HIV are not receiving regular medical care.

The economic crisis has had grave consequences for women living with HIV. And as the U.S. navigates a volatile election year, services for all women have become a political football. The result? Though women comprise over 27% of HIV cases in the U.S., women are rapidly becoming invisible in HIV funding, programs, services, leadership and data.

We as women living with HIV demand to be counted. All women living with HIV matter and therefore have a right to live a healthy and quality life. We demand to Count Us In! the HIV planning, services, budget, data, and leadership.

Can We Count On You to uphold HIV+ women's rights? Take Action!

• Show your support -- sign our petition now!
• Watch and share videos of HIV+ women leaders speaking up!
• View our photo booth on FB, submit your own photo!