Women and AIDS: have you heard us today?

WHO/Michael Jensen Women are biologically, socially and economically more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS than men

The World AIDS Campaign for 2004 is on “Women, Girls and HIV/AIDS”. This theme reflects how women are biologically, socially and economically more vulnerable to HIV infection, especially in regions hardest hit by the epidemic. To mark World AIDS Day on 1 December, WHO is focusing on the complex and sensitive issues relating to violence against women, the intersections with HIV/AIDS, and access to life-saving antiretroviral treatment for women.

Globally, women are increasingly affected by HIV, and now make up almost half of the 37.2 million adults living with HIV/AIDS. The UNAIDS/WHO AIDS epidemic update 2004 states that the number of women living with HIV increased in every region of the world over the past two years. The sharpest increase of 56% occurred in East Asia, followed by a 46% increase in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In sub-Saharan Africa, the worst-affected region, close to 60% of adults living with HIV are women. Women in this region are up to 1.3 times more likely to be infected with HIV than men. This risk is greatest for young women aged 15–24 years, who are three to four times more likely to be infected with HIV than young men of the same age.

Women are physically more susceptible to HIV infection than men, and gender-based violence makes them even more vulnerable. Violence against women is well recognized as a violation of human rights and also now as a public health issue – one that dangerously intersects with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. For many girls and young women, their first sexual encounter is often coerced; the experience or fear of violence is a daily reality, and increasingly, so is HIV/AIDS.

In the three stories below, we hear women talk about how they have overcome violence and gender inequality, and how they are living with HIV/AIDS.

Breaking the cycle of violence: Balabwa’s story
In South Africa, 58% of people living with HIV/AIDS are women and girls. Women, like Balabwa, who are subject to violence and rape, are particularly vulnerable.

Access to treatment – a changed life: Phala’s story
At the end of 2003, nearly 40% of the 170 000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Cambodia were women. This is the story of how access to treatment changed the life of one woman and her child.

Surviving war, violence and HIV/AIDS: Francine’s story
According to the UN OCHA report on "Our bodies – their battleground", 250 000 to 500 000 women in Rwanda were gang raped during the 1994 genocide. Francine survived the war and gang rape but has been left fighting HIV/AIDS.

3 by 5

HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention scale-up is a WHO priority. The Organization is working in partnership with countries to achieve the global "3 by 5" target: to provide access to AIDS treatment to three million people living with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2005. The goal is universal access to treatment. By July of this year, only 440 000 people had access to AIDS treatment out of six million who need it in developing countries. WHO and its partners are developing principles and mechanisms to promote and provide equitable access to AIDS treatment and prevention services to all who need them, including the most vulnerable – women and girls.

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