Reducing Vulnerability

HIV and AIDS are inextricably linked to poverty and economic growth, discrimination and the fraying of a community’s social fabric(1). The Declaration of Commitment recognizes that while all people are affected by HIV/AIDS, there are some that are more vulnerable to the epidemic’s devastation, including women, children and young people, the sexually exploited, those without access to education and health services, and the poor(2).

Tragically, the poorest people in the poorest countries bear the brunt of the epidemic. Poverty, underdevelopment and illiteracy are principal factors contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS. The epidemic, in turn, is making poverty worse and is reversing or halting development in many countries, creating a vicious cycle of poverty and disease(3). Further, poor households are often politically and socially marginalized, reaching these populations through programmes aimed at changing sexual and other behaviours is difficult. Large numbers of children growing up in poverty are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, becoming the next generation of HIV-positive adults.

Women’s lack of rights and self-determination in sexual relationships make them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. Harmful cultural practices – including wife inheritance, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, and polygamy – contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS and put women at a deadly disadvantage. The governments of UNGASS recognized that gender equality and the empowerment of women are fundamental to making women and girls less vulnerable to HIV/AIDS(4).

To reduce vulnerability among these groups, governments committed themselves to(5):

• By 2003, implement programmes that address factors that make people vulnerable to infection, including underdevelopment, economic insecurity, poverty, lack of empowerment of women, lack of education, social exclusion, illiteracy, discrimination, lack of information, lack of HIV prevention commodities, and sexual exploitation of women, girls and boys(6).
• By 2003, develop programmes, recognizing the importance of family, culture and religion, to reduce the vulnerability of children and young people by: ensuring children’s access to primary and secondary education, and adolescents’ access to education about HIV/AIDS; expanding information and sexual health education and counselling; strengthening reproductive and sexual health programmes; and involving families and young people in HIV/AIDS prevention and care programmes(7).
• By 2003, develop programmes, through a participatory approach, to protect the health of groups that have high rates of infection or a high risk of infection(8).

Footnote

(1) Keeping the Promise, summary of the Declaration of Commitment, Social and Economic Impact

(2) Paragraph 4.

(3) Paragraph 11.

(4) Paragraph 14.

(5) Taken from Keeping the Promise

(6) Paragraph 62.

(7) Paragraph 63.

(8) Paragraph 64.