Gender and HIV/AIDS in Europe & CIS

Gender and HIV/AIDS

The many dimensions of HIV and AIDS are reflected in socio-economic, cultural, health, human rights, and policy issues. Thus, it is necessary to go beyond issues of health alone in order to ensure the effectiveness of policy interventions and projects addressing HIV/AIDS. Multidisciplinary responses from sectors such as justice, education, defense, immigration, industry, and transport are all required.  Additionally, given the different societal, economic, and power relations that define men and women, and given the differences in their access to information and services as well as in their ability to make decisions regarding one’s own health and sexual behaviour, men and women have a different set of HIV vulnerabilities. In other words, gender inequality is a key driver of the AIDS epidemic as it increases the vulnerability of women and men to HIV infection and intensifies the burden of AIDS on women and girls. 

Roots of women and gilrs' vulnerability to HIV and AIDS impacts

Following list uncovers few examples of gender inequalities as well as biological factors that women and girls especially vulnerable to HIV and to the impact of AIDS:

• Biological differences cause women more susceptible than men to infection from HIV in any given heterosexual encounter, due to the greater area of mucous membrane exposed during sex in women than in men; the greater quantity of fluids transferred from men to women; the higher viral content in male sexual fluids; and the micro-tears that can occur in vaginal (or rectal) tissue from sexual penetration.
• Gender norms influence women and girls' vulnerability to HIV. In many places, these norms allow men to have more sexual partners than women, and encourage older men to have sexual relations with much younger women. In some settings, this has contributed to higher infection rates among young women (15-24 years) compared to young men. Women may want their partners to use condoms (or to abstain from sex altogether), but often lack the power to make them do so.
• Violence (physical, sexual and emotional), which many women experience at some point in their lives increases their HIV/AIDS vulnerability in several ways:

• Women assume the major share of caretaking in the family including for those living with and affected by HIV. Much of the care taking is unremunerated and is based on the assumption that this is a role that women "naturally" fill, which only adds to their burden.
• HIV/AIDS programs that include comprehensive AIDS education and clear prevention messages, promote condoms, provide needle exchange for injecting drug users and prompt treatment for sexually transmitted infections can help women and girls protect themselves from HIV. However, millions of women do not enjoy access to educational opportunities and lack economic security and equal protection under law, which further contributes to their vulnerability to HIV.
• HIV/AIDS programs that invest in the specific needs of women and girls and promote gender equality can not only reduce their vulnerabilities to HIV, but also contribute to their overall well being. Hence, investing in women and girls will contribute to the MDG goal on combating HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria as well as the MDG goal on promoting gender equality and women's empowerment.