What is meant by “gender and HIV” ?
You must have heard the word Sex. This determines biologically whether one is a boy or a girl. Gender on the other hand is a social construct that defines how a girl and boy should behave. In countries where young people account for a high proportion of all new infections, HIV positive young women may outnumber their seropositive male peers by as much as six times (UNAIDS). Therefore, addressing gender roles and power dynamics between women and men, and how they impact on sexual relations and decisionmaking, is critical for effective prevention.Girls and women are disproportionately vulnerable to HIV. Their physiological susceptibility, at least 2 to 4 times greater than men’s – is further increased by social, cultural, economic and legal forms of discrimination. HIV prevention programmes cannot be successful unless we foster gender equality; empower girls and women and enable boys and men to become supportive, responsible partners.
