Framework for women, girls, and gender equality in national strategic plans on HIV and AIDS
10 January 2011
World Aids Campaign
Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by the HIV and AIDS epidemic in much of the world, and this is especially true of the generalised epidemics of southern and eastern Africa, where 60% of new infections are among women and girls,1 and unpaid care giving is predominantly undertaken by women and girls in the community. Throughout southern and eastern Africa, gender inequality is a key driver of gender-based violence and HIV-transmission. National Strategic Plans on HIV and AIDS (NSPs) are critical platforms for addressing this impact on women and girls, and for advancing gender equality as central to the success of the HIV and AIDS response.
The Women, Girls, and Gender Equality NSP Framework that follows identifies key priorities and sample interventions for addressing women, girls, and gender equality in the development of the next generation of NSPs, and is also intended to serve as an assessment tool for on-going reviews of NSPs. The Framework consolidates the evidence-base, including good practice, around women and girls in the context of HIV in southern and eastern Africa and has been collaboratively developed by experts from civil society, academic research centres, and the United Nations.
Who will use the Women, Girls, and Gender Equality NSP Framework?
We expect the Framework to be used as a tool for NSP development or review by governmental entities such as National AIDS Councils and Ministries of Health and Gender as well as by gender
consultants or advisors. The Framework can also support civil society participation in, and mobilisation around, NSP development and review. The Framework provides a tool to hold governments accountable in relation to their commitments around women, girls, and gender equality in the context of HIV and AIDS.
How will the Women, Girls, and Gender Equality NSP Framework be used?
We have developed the language, content, and approach of the Framework to be in alignment with regional and international commitments on HIV, sexual and reproductive health and rights,
women's rights, and gender equality as well as to model the structure and format of select existing NSPs. As such, we expect that the Framework can serve as a guidance document, a direct
template, and an accountability tool.
We believe that the Framework should be directly adapted and adopted according to the particularities of each country context in southern and eastern Africa4 and taken up through a robust
multi-sectoral approach towards the overarching goals of halting the HIV epidemic and advancing womens rights and gender equality.
* The five page document, produced by HEARD and ATHENA, can be accessed here.
Keywords: gender, health, HIV, AIDS,
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