Women Turning the Tide
IAC, July 2012
Dr Jantine Jacobi, Chief Gender Equality and Diversity
Women, girls and HIV
Women and girls account for half of all
people living
with HIV
HIV is the leading cause of death in women
of reproductive age
South Africa: 1 in 7 new
HIV infections
due tophysical or sexual
abuse
26% of all new
infections occur
among girls and
young women (15-24)
Reported forced
first sex for girls below 15 between 11% and
48%
New infections in young women are twice as high as males
New HIV infections in people age 15-24 in Sub-Saharan Africa
0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000700,000800,000
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010Male Female
Gender inequalities have many facets:
Social and Economic Inequality
Gender based violence
Harmful gender norms
Social Exclusion
• Increasing their vulnerability to HIV
• Without resources to counteract: dedicated funds in only 41% of national AIDS
responses
UNAIDS Vision:
2011-2015 UNAIDS Strategy:
Getting to zeroThe three core strategic pillars:
Revolutionize HIV
Prevention
Catalyze the next phase of
treatment, care and support
Advance human rights and gender equality for
the HIVresponse
The UNAIDS Agenda
for Women and Girls
• Menu of strategic actions
• Support countries to move towards gender-transformative HIV responses, engaging partners, in particular women and girls living with HIV
• Operationalization in about 95 countries by the end of 2011
• Mid Term Review
Investing in gender
transformative HIV responses
Opportunity to overcome
challenges that hinder progress on 4 Millennium
Development Goals
Multiplier effect for
Health and Development
MDG 3Gender Equality
MDG 4Child
Mortality
MDG 6HIV and
other diseases
MDG 5Maternal
Health
• UNAIDS calls for social transformation for women and girls, in particular those living with HIV.
• CSW, CPD, Rio+20 show that sexual and reproductive rights are key.
• Investment in leadership of (young) women living with HIV is critical.
• We need to better leverage synergies (HIV, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and vioelnce against women and girls).
UNAIDS Actions
Together we can create a better world for women and girls
Thank you
Launch of the Pan-African
Women with HIV Coalition Cairo+20
Security Council Resolution 1983
MENA ROSAStanding Up,
Speaking Out: Women
and HIV in the Middle
East and North AfricaSomebody Cares
Malawi