Women's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS: a global examination

Abstract

In addition to physiological risks, women worldwide face a number of unique vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS, which are the result of gender inequality. Therefore, in order to adequately respond to HIV/AIDS, such inequalities must be included as an integral part of HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns. This paper establishes a framework called the ‘Gender and HIV/AIDS Vulnerability Matrix’, which can be used to assess the unique vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS transmission faced by women globally, regionally or nationally. The matrix considers the influence of gender roles on women’s vulnerability to HIV, and identifies enabling environments that help facilitate transmission of the virus to women. The key areas of HIV/AIDS vulnerability considered by the matrix not only encompasses gender roles such sexual health, reproduction and STI knowledge, but also issues such as sexual passivity and aggression and sexual promiscuity. In addition, enabling environments, that is, the social, cultural, economic and political environment of the state, are also explored. Therefore, the specific focus of this paper is to use the ‘Gender and HIV/AIDS Vulnerability Matrix’ to identify the social, cultural, economic and political factors that make women more vulnerable to HIV transmission than their male counterparts. The matrix is also a useful tool in determining what vulnerabilities are ‘shared vulnerabilities’ that is, those that transcend national, social and cultural boundaries, from those that are nationally, socially and culturally specific. Clearly, such information will be useful in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS globally, as well as tackling HIV/AIDS regionally or nationally.