Health, Reproductive Rights & Sexuality

Worldwide, about half the HIV-positive population is made up of women. In Sub-Saharan Africa 60 percent of those living with HIV are women in a region that accounts for 75 percent of AIDS deaths. Globally, women are more vulnerable to the virus due to sexual coercion, early marriage, cultural stigma and poverty. In the U.S., HIV is the third leading cause of death among African American women aged 25-44 compared with the fifth leading cause for all women. Low-income women suffer disproportionately: nearly two-thirds of HIV-positive women in the U.S. report annual incomes of under $10,000. Our network is active at the research, grassroots and public health levels, raising awareness about disparities and ensuring that prevention, testing and treatment are made more affordable and accessible.