BREAKING THE CYCLE: Ensuring Equitable Access to HIV Treatment for Women and Girls
Recent international initiatives to provide antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in resource-poor countries have changed the landscape of the HIV/AIDS debate and signal an unprecedented new phase in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. With an estimated 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS and 14,000 new infections every day, access to treatment is a challenge of global proportions. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, almost 4.5 million people need antiretroviral treatment, yet only 100,000 currently receive it. To develop effective treatment programs, national governments, international donors, and community stakeholders should ensure equitable access to HIV treatment and care, notably for acutely vulnerable populations such as women and girls.