Accountability to Women and Girls in the AIDS Response
World YWCA Statement to the United Nations High Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS
New York, June 2008
Women and girls urgently need strong leadership and accountability by governments for effective and sustainable solutions to the
AIDS pandemic that meet their needs. Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, must be achieved by 2010. The United Nations High Level Meeting is held at a critical moment when all governments must show commitment and apply concrete resources and action that will achieve Universal Access by 2010.
Globally women make up 46% of all people living with HIV, and the proportion of women infected with HIV is increasing in Asia, Eastern
Europe and Latin America. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region most affected by AIDS, 61% of all adults and three out of four young people living with the virus are female (HIV Epidemiology update, UNAIDS 2007). As HIV increasingly affects women and girls, a gender-balanced approach to the pandemic will ensure reduction in HIV prevalence, better access to treatment and care for all those who need it.
In 2001 governments committed that by 2005, 90% of young people would be able to correctly identify modes of HIV transmission and prevention. Yet as of 2007, only 40% of young males and only 36% of young females had accurate HIV knowledge. The Universal Access target for HIV knowledge among youth is 95% by 2010 (WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF, Towards Universal Access, Scaling Up Priority HIV/AIDS Interventions in the Health Sector, Progress Report, 2007).
Policies, implemented by governments, in the absence of in-depth analysis on how HIV affects women and girls and based on human rights, are unconscionable. Violence, socio-economic and legal challenges experienced by many HIV-positive women and girls with regard to treatment, care and support require strong scrutiny.
Universal Access will not be realised without strategic plans bound by human rights, science, gender responsive budgets that are gender transformative, created in partnership with civil society and PLHIV and above all – are accountable to the people. As civil society and the convener of the International Women’s Summit on Women’s Leadership on HIV and AIDS, (Nairobi, July 2007), we draw the attention of Member States to three areas that need proactive leadership to ensure that:
1. Adequate resources are made available to support the capacity of women and girls to lead change on HIV and AIDS. As the AIDS pandemic becomes increasingly feminised, the World YWCA calls for increased funding to include building the capacity of women and girls to be visible and effective in making decisions, designing solutions and implementing strategies that will reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS in the community.
The World YWCA welcomes the increased global financing of HIV and AIDS programmes, however, if holistic solutions are to be achieved, funding must increase significantly and should go beyond financing traditional HIV and AIDS programmes. Funding should include programmes and actions that empower women and girls as a strategic solution to reducing the impact of HIV and AIDS.
2. Women and girls are free from physical, sexual and psychological abuse. Studies indicate that women are more likely to be victims of sexual violence than men and are thus more vulnerable to HIV. In order to reduce the prevalence of HIV infection governments and civil society must take action against gender inequality and gender based violence, which rob too many women of control over their bodies and lives. Figures demonstrate the great personal security threat that women and girls face. Men and women must take leadership to ensure violence against women is eradicated and women’s security is guaranteed through appropriate legislation and programmes that support survivors of violence.
3. Stigma and discrimination is eradicated, offering solidarity and support to all women and girls, particularly those infected and affected by
HIV. After 25 years of HIV, stigma and discrimination continue to drive this pandemic. Following promises made, we still wait for change on many different levels as the human rights of people living with HIV continue to be violated. Today, over 70 countries still impose some form of HIV-specific restrictions on the entry and residence of PLHIV. HIV related travel restrictions are a violation of human rights and have negative public health effects (Action for Universal Access by 2010: Civil Society Task Force 2008).
Laws that criminalise HIV transmission further fuel stigma. This is another violation of human rights commitments and these laws must be eliminated.
The World YWCA demands that governments fulfil their promises and remove barriers that prevent women and girls from accessing services that ensure their
health and wellbeing.
For more information contact:
Kaburo Kobia
Communications Director
World YWCA 16 Ancienne Route CH-1218 Grand
Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland
Telephone (+41) 22 929 60 30 | Telefax (+41)
22 929 6044
Website: www.worldywca.org | Email: communication@worldywca.org
The World YWCA is a global movement that reaches 25 million women and girls in 125 countries, providing them with the space and skills to develop
leadership to achieve justice, peace, security, health, human dignity, freedom and care for the environment for the entire community.