Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!
Today, on 1st December 2024, The International Community of Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA) stands in solidarity with millions of people living with HIV worldwide and echoes the global call to Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!
ICWEA recognizes that Saharan Africa and in Eastern Africa, the epidemic continues to disproportionately affect women and girls, with adolescent girls and young women (aged 15–24 years) still accounting for 27% of new HIV infections and were three times as likely to acquire HIV than their male counterparts. While there has been a notable decline in new HIV infections among children and adolescents globally over the past decade, adolescent girls still struggle to access tailored prevention services and support. Structural barriers—including gender inequalities, poverty and social exclusion—persist and prevent people, especially those from key and vulnerable populations, from realizing their right to health.
ICWEA reaffirms its commitment to promoting the rights, dignity, and well-being of women and girls living with HIV. We work tirelessly to ensure they have access to equitable healthcare, psychosocial support, and opportunities to thrive, free from stigma and discrimination and we at the Centre of ending HIV by 2030 but only if leaders protect the human rights of everyone living with and at risk of HIV.
Science continues to innovate against AIDS Long-acting HIV prevention medicines that only need to be available and accessible to all those that need them especially the young women and girls but can only be achieved if a human rights approach is taken into account share the technology to bring down prices and enable production in every part of the world including where the epidemic has hit most.
Data from Community Led Monitoring activities led by ICWEA co-relate with the current statistics in Uganda that indicates significant gaps in access to HIV services, particularly for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). These insights reveal the urgent need to strengthen prevention pathways, improve healthcare delivery, and address persistent barriers such as stigma and leading to poor adherence as well as poor treatment outcomes for the AGYW in the East Africa.
On #WorldAIDSDay, ICWEA calls for bold action against HIV stigma. The recently published PLHIV Stigma Index 2.0 Global Report reveals alarming statistics: where 84.8% of people living with HIV experience internalized stigma; and 37.6% feel ashamed of living with HIV. Addressing stigma is crucial to reaching global targets and ensuring that individuals living with HIV can access the care and support they need without fear or shame.
ICWEA commits to continues to champion the rights of women living with HIV by:
- Advocating for inclusive, rights-based HIV responses.
- Conducting research and amplifying the voices of women living with HIV in policy discussions.
- Leading community-based initiatives to empower women to access to quality healthcare.
- Collaborating with government, development partners and CSO organizations so as influence policies and improve service delivery.
Call to Action
On this World AIDS Day, ICWEA calls on all leaders, partners and stakeholders to champion the Right to health by addressing the inequalities that hinder progress in ending AIDS by 2030.This can be achieved by the following –
- Increase funding for HIV programs supporting women and girls, particularly in education, prevention, and treatment.
- Promote all HIV prevention measures to empower individuals to choose the best options for their needs.
- Strengthen laws and policies that protect the rights of women and girls living with HIV, ensuring access to healthcare, education, and safety.
- Empower women and girls living with HIV to take leadership roles in policy-making and program design, ensuring their voices are heard and experiences valued.
- Integrates HIV prevention and treatment into broader national health and social systems.
- Prioritizes gender-sensitive approaches and addresses social determinants of health.
As we honor the progress made, we recognize the urgent need to intensify efforts to address stigma, discrimination, and barriers to equitable healthcare. By taking the rights path, we can build a future where all women and girls living with HIV can live with dignity, health, and opportunity.
