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FOUND 671
This report by Physicians for Human Rights documents how U.S. global health funding reductions have disrupted HIV prevention, treatment, research, and community health programs in South Africa, threatening decades of progress against the epidemic. The report emphasizes that women and girls—especially adolescent girls and young women, who continue to face disproportionately high rates of HIV acquisition—are among those most severely affected by…
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) bear a disproportionate burden of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa, yet the prevalence of HIV testing for this demographic varies significantly. This study examines HIV testing patterns among AGYW across 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa using large-scale survey data to identify testing prevalence along with demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors associated with testing uptake. The…
This study evaluates the impact of the Common Elements Treatment Approach, a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention, on treatment outcomes for women living with HIV who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). While it did not significantly improve HIV treatment retention or viral suppression, participants showed modest overall gains and clear improvements in depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The article highlights the…
The Well Project surveyed cisgender and transgender women and nonbinary people living with HIV in the United States to examine the effects of stigmatizing HIV-related language. The study found that nearly three-quarters of respondents had experienced stigmatizing language from healthcare providers, often undermining agency through labels such as “victim.” Reported impacts included lower self-esteem, poorer mental health, avoidance of healthcare…
This article examines discrepancies in how causes of death among women living with HIV are recorded. Substance use and mental illness were among the most common contributors to death, yet were rarely documented on death certificates, while HIV/AIDS was frequently listed as a cause of death even when clinicians determined it played a limited role. The authors argue that improving survival among women with HIV requires greater attention to mental…
This study analyzes global trends in HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among women aged 15–49 using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. It finds a striking divergence in disease burden: while other STIs account for the majority of infections and prevalent cases, HIV/AIDS remains responsible for most STI-related deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) among women of reproductive age. The findings…
This article highlights the growing need for research focused on women ageing with HIV. Existing research overwhelmingly focuses on aging, HIV and men, but less is understood about the differences between how HIV affects aging men and women. The study discusses how ageing, long-term antiretroviral therapy, and social determinants of health intersect to affect women’s risks of cardiovascular, metabolic, bone, renal, cognitive, and other non-…
This report, produced by UNICEF on behalf of the 11 cosponsors of UNAIDS (ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UN Women, WFP, WHO, and the World Bank), documents how meaningful partnerships between United Nations agencies, civil society organizations and communities are driving progress in the global AIDS response. It demonstrates why community-centered action is essential for lasting change — and what becomes possible when those most…
Language used to describe HIV and people living with HIV can either reinforce stigma or promote dignity, inclusion, and empowerment. Women may face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, which can be reinforced by language. This fact sheet by the Live Well Project demonstrates how stigmatizing HIV-related language can impact the health and wellbeing of women diagnosed with HIV as well as HIV prevention, testing, and treatment…
This study evaluates knowledge of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) among sexually active adolescent girls and young women (AGWY) in Eswatini, a population disproportionately at risk of and affected by HIV. It finds that PEP awareness was low, highlighting gaps in access to HIV prevention knowledge among this population despite their elevated risk. The findings underscore the importance of integrating PEP education into HIV prevention…
This report from the United Nations University International Institute for Global Health reviews evidence from low- and middle-income countries on interventions addressing gender inequalities linked to HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. It finds that the most effective and sustained results come from multi-component approaches that combine HIV services with efforts to transform harmful gender norms, strengthen economic empowerment, expand social…
This article provides an overview of the scale, causes, and consequences of gender-based violence (GBV), highlighting it as one of the most widespread human rights violations affecting women and girls around the globe and explaining the structural links between GBV and HIV vulnerability. Harmful gender norms, unequal power relations, conflict, poverty, and discrimination contribute to high rates of violence, including intimate partner violence,…
This article examines the intersection of disability, gender-based violence, and HIV vulnerability among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Eswatini. The study found that AGYW (aged 13-24 years) with functional disabilities were more likely to experience sexual, physical, and emotional violence. While the study found that disability was not associated with higher prevalences of HIV infection, it still underscores the need for disability-…
This article explores factors that protect adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) from the interconnected risks of HIV exposure, gender-based violence (GBV), and adolescent pregnancy in Kenya. The study finds that gender-equitable attitudes, food security, and strong parental monitoring are all associated with lower risks of intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child marriage, and adolescent pregnancy, with the strongest protective…
This article highlights how gender-related social and structural inequalities continue to shape HIV vulnerability and outcomes, particularly for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Based on a study in Zimbabwe, it demonstrates that positive parenting, food security, and equitable-gender attitudes are development accelerators that improve AGYW HIV outcomes. The authors argue that achieving better HIV outcomes requires gender-transformative…
This UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) report warns that rising HIV diagnoses among women, particularly women exposed through heterosexual sex, require urgent attention in the UK’s HIV Action Plan. While new HIV diagnoses have declined among gay and bisexual men, diagnoses among women increased by 33% between 2019 and 2024, with especially concerning trends among Black African and Asian communities.
In Zambia, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are at high risk of HIV prevention yet continue to have low access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This study shows that shifting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services from clinics to community-based DREAMS centers substantially increased PrEP initiation, with high uptake among eligible participants. It also identifies factors associated with continued PrEP use, highlighting that…
This article examines how women experience being offered different HIV prevention methods, including oral PrEP and the dapivirine vaginal ring, in real-world healthcare settings. Through focus group discussions, the study found that women generally valued having a choice of prevention options and appreciated supportive counselling, educational materials, and respectful healthcare providers. Factors influencing method selection included…
UN Women's Programme on Women's Empowerment in Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health rights in humanitarian settings in the Horn of Africa Region (POWER), supported by the Austrian Development Agency, addressed gender equality and women’s empowerment as central to women’s enjoyment of their rights to health services.
This article examines the challenges faced by women living with HIV in Kyrgyzstan through interviews with HIV care and advocacy professionals. The study finds that women experience intersecting forms of stigma, discrimination, intimate partner violence, and economic insecurity at personal, community, and institutional levels, which can limit their access to support and care. The authors call for stronger protections of confidentiality, greater…