The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, in partnership with UNAIDS and other co-sponsors, organized the African Development Forum, which took place at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 3 to 7 December 2000. The Forum's purpose was to address and heighten awareness of crucial aspects in the fight against HIV/AIDS, such as political will and leadership, adequate resources and multisectoral approaches. The paper provides a summary of key points and recommendations that arose from a panel discussions on "Gender and HIV/AIDS: Leadership Roles in Social Mobilization", together with the presentations made by the panelists, which form the major part of this report.