Fact Sheet on Women and HIV/AIDS, American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) (2008)

This fact sheet, created by the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), describes the rising rates of HIV/AIDS among women in the United States and worldwide, and outlines the factors that have contributed to this rise. For example, it describes economic and social factors that increase women's vulnerability to HIV, such as disproportionate earning power and assets due to prescribed gender roles, and limited access to education, healthcare, and other resources that help women prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. Other factors that may lead to the disproportionate rise in HIV/AIDS among women include biological factors, gender-based violence, and sex differences in HIV treatment. The fact sheet advocates ten policies to address these factors, such as making women a priority in national HIV/AIDS strategies, increasing public knowledge and decreasing stigma and discrimination, reducing barriers faced by women in disadvantaged populations, and investing in the development of female-controlled prevention methods. The fact sheet is a useful resource for those seeking to illuminate the rising HIV/AIDS rates among women and the factors that contribute to it, and those advocating policy changes to address these factors. It is also useful to view it in conjunction with the amfAR survey on the stigma faced by HIV-positive women in the United States, which is posted separately in CHLP's Women's Advocacy Resource Collection.