Women's Advocacy Resource Connection

In a number of respects, HIV has been a different disease for women because of a host of distinct issues, both biological and sociological. Biologically, women in the United States who have vaginal or anal sex with men are more susceptible to HIV than men who have intercourse with women, and women living with HIV experience different clinical symptoms and complications. Sociologically, women living with HIV face additional barriers to treatment and care as well as differences in quality of treatment and care compared to men.

Gender inequality issues such as socioeconomic disparities, domestic violence, and cultural expectations are frequent factors in women's acquiring and experiencing HIV. Women with HIV across the country are diverse, but statistically, they are more likely to be poor and women of color. While HIV has become the third leading cause of death among women in the United States, it is the leading cause of death among African-American women ages 25 to 34.

The Women's Advocacy Resource Connection (WARC) provides resources to analyze HIV as it affects women. WARC address issues including child custody, reproductive choice and health, which are of particular importance to women.

We encourage you to visit the WARC Resource Bank for more information.

Highlighted Resources

  EMPOWERED: a New Campaign From Alicia Keys & Greater Than AIDS to Reach Women on HIV/AIDS

HIV and Pregnancy: Medical and Legal Considerations for Women and Their Advocates, Center for HIV Law and Policy

This report and guide outlines the medical and legal issues surrounding HIV and pregnancy in the United States. It makes it clear that persistent beliefs among medical, social service, and justice system professionals that women with HIV should avoid childbearing are unsupported by medical science or the law. The guide is the first of its kind, and charts the intersecting medical, ethical, and legal issues that can arise for HIV-positive women who are or may become pregnant.

Know Your Rights: HIV and Pregnancy, The Center for HIV Law and Policy

Women who are HIV-positive and pregnant or considering becoming pregnant often face judgment and discrimination from the very medical care providers they rely upon to keep them healthy. This brief front-and-back handout provides an outline of the rights of pregnant women living with HIV to access non-discriminatory health care and to make informed decisions based on medically sound, understandable, and accurate information.