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When the International AIDS Conference is held in Africa, not only do you get Elton John, Queen Latifah and the rest of the celebrity set in attendance, but African royalty appear as well. They’re concerned for their people—and it’s these traditional leaders, as opposed to politicians, that often hold sway. That’s especially true in Malawi, where 10.3% of the population lives with HIV. Reflecting gender disparities in the country, more…

HIV infection significantly decreases survival among women with invasive cervical cancer, according to a study conducted in Botswana. This was the case even though most women with HIV received antiretroviral therapy. “Cervical cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among African women, and the HIV epidemic intensifies this burden,” wrote study authors led by Scott Dryden-Peterson, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The…

An updated adherence analysis from the ASPIRE study indicates that consistent users of a vaginal ring containing dapivirine experienced 65% fewer infections, the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) in Durban, South Africa heard last month. Some additional analyses suggested a higher level of effectiveness. Moreover, African women who took part in the study told researchers that they…

HIV remains a major health concern for women and children globally. Worldwide, the majority of new HIV infections occur in young women. Each year, 1.5 million women living with HIV become pregnant. Without effective treatment, up to 45 percent of HIV-infected mothers will transmit the virus to their child, usually through breastfeeding. In an effort to prevent HIV transmission to women and their children, researchers from the University of…

In sub-Saharan Africa, girls and young women account for 71 percent of new HIV infections among adolescents. South African officials hope more access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, will help, but experts say stigma and lack of education could doom those efforts. Read full article here.

The British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BCCfE) has released new research that finds previously incarcerated women with HIV are three times more likely to have poor adherence to combination anti-retroviral therapy than HIV positive women who have not been incarcerated. The research comes from a survey conducted by Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual & Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS), Canada’s largest multi-site…

This report shares the top-line data of pregnant women and children living with HIV, along with the importance of understanding the underlying causes of infection. It also provides concrete steps and actions to close the gap by providing testing, prevention, treatment, and support to women and children vulnerable to or living with HIV.

In this brief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria shares their 2014-2016 Gender Equality Action Plan and how they plan to promote gender equality through their programs. It details different partnerships and programs they plan on engaging in to promote the rights of women and girls as well as reduce their predisposition to HIV.

This article can be accessed in the 'By Topic' Section of The Global Fund's Publication…

This report presents the key findings of a Rapid Review conducted by the Global Fund on the main strategies and action plans on gender equality and key populations. The Global Fund’s Strategy 2017-2022 are aligned with these recommendations to ensure their policies and procedures support programs that address gender inequalities.

This article can be accessed in the 'Community, Rights, and Gender' section of The Global Fund's…

This guide was developed to inform public health practitioners working in the Asia-Pacific region to reduce HIV vulnerabilities, empower women, and address the gender-based injustices which fuel the spread of HIV. It uses examples and region-specific evidence to provide suggestions for policy and programs. Topics such as prevention, education, violence against women, property rights, and vulnerable populations of women are covered in this…

UNFPA’s Advocacy Guide focuses on three effective responses to HIV prevention: improving access to sexual and reproductive health services, expanding socio-economic opportunities, and ending child marriage. Based on these goals, ten advocacy messages were developed and the report details the rationale behind them, global examples, and ways to address the issues politically and programmatically.

These fact sheets intertwine gender as part of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and provide gender-sensitive, topic-specific information on the core areas of HIV/AIDS. Some of these areas include Human Rights, Education, Global Commitments, Young People, Male Participation, Conflict Situations, Rural Development, and Monitoring and Evaluation. 

The Meri Life, Meri Choice project was developed to reduce HIV vulnerabilities of rural adolescent girls and young women in India. This was done through providing socially disadvantaged, out-of-school girls with knowledge around sexual and reproductive health, increasing their utilization of sexual health services, creating a supportive environment to reduce vulnerabilities. The Population Council evaluated the acceptability,…

In Southern Africa, adolescent girls and young women (ages 15-24) make up a disproportionate number of new HIV infections compared to their male peers. In order to become AIDS-free, it is critical to prevent new infections in this key population. This study explores biological and social vulnerabilities young women face in relation to HIV, including engagement in transactional sex, limited education, and amplified effects of transmission.…

Many adolescents and young women in Zambia are faced with economic and social barriers, lack of access to health care, and gender-based violence which increase their risk for unwanted pregnancy, HIV, and school drop outs. The AGEP curriculum was developed to teach girls to build strong support networks, increase knowledge around reproductive health, and develop their decision-making and negotiation skills. This low-resource manual provides…

The 2014 UNAIDS Report highlights the gender-based discrimination adolescent girls and young women face worldwide in relation to HIV. It uses population-level data to discuss issues of gender-based violence, lack of access to education and health services, and legal barriers which often lead to increased vulnerabilities of HIV infection. 

This guidebook aims to inform health policy makers and program planners on how to establish PrEP as an effective prevention method for adolescent girls and young women. This includes addressing the delivery platforms, marketing, regulations, demand, and use of PreP for this population. 

Although the HIV epidemic in Ethiopia has declined tremendously, the most vulnerable populations of young people still affected are adolescent girls and young women, specifically, married girls living in urban slums. This report focuses on three programs in Ethiopia that engage girls and aim to reduce their risk of infection through mentorship, education, engagement of men, and links to health services. 

This manual was designed by a resource group of young women leaders from nine countries, focusing on critical issues of HIV/AIDS, sexual health, self-esteem, violence against women, and more. The objective of this manual is to facilitate trainings and use engaging workshops to successfully teach young women ways to empower themselves and act on key issues that affect their livelihood and well-being. Training material on HIV and AIDS can be…

This paper discusses the links between education, gender equality, HIV prevention, and sexual and reproductive health. It acknowledges that these connections are widely recognized and utilized in public health programming, but that there is also a need for more combined efforts to design programs to ensure these links better reinforce one another and work more effectively to create an enabling environment for girls to prosper.  …