AIDS response must address women's inequality, but must not exclude men
23 November 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New statistics from UNAIDS have underlined the serious gaps that exist in the HIV/AIDS response for women and girls, but the solution must not exclude men, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance (the Alliance) said today.
“The UN report makes clear that services for women need to be expanded. Women need more access to information; more access to care, treatment and support; and, crucially, greater economic and social power,” said Alvaro Bermejo, executive director of the Alliance.
“However, the only way we can ensure women's empowerment is by increasing the understanding men have about the realities of HIV and AIDS and how it spreads, and by working with men and women at local, national and international levels to bring about change.”
One example of an integrated approach at the local level is a project in the Eastern Province of Zambia where the Alliance and partners are working to improve the sexual and reproductive health of young girls and boys from 10 to 24 years old. The project works with the whole community including the young themselves, older men and women who teach the young about sex, and men who usually have control over money and social power in the area.
“Providing people with information and messages on abstinence and fidelity alone is insufficient to enable them to adopt safe sexual behaviours,” says Gill Gordon, senior programme office for prevention at the Alliance. “People need to be able to apply this in-depth knowledge to their own lives, and have an enabling environment to support safer sex.”
Ends
Editor's notes:
1. For more information and interviews about the gender work of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, and its work with population groups key to the dynamics of the epidemic such as people living with HIV/AIDS, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and intravenous drug users, please contact Simon Moore. T: 01273 718744. E: smoore@aidsalliance.org
2. The International HIV/AIDS Alliance has been supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries since 1993. It has worked with community organisations from over 40 developing countries, provided financial support to over 2,500 projects (implemented by over 1,800 community and faith-based groups), and channelled over USD 100 million to organisations across the world. Expenditure in 2004 alone is anticipated to be a further USD 35 million.
