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- Female Condoms and U.S. Foreign Policy
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Integrating HIV/AIDS and Sexual and Reproductive Health
"We must take AIDS out of isolation and provide young girls with opportunities to negotiate their sexual relationships and receive sexuality education so that they can protect themselves from infection... If we don't do this, our vision of zero new infections will remain a dream."--UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé at the 2011 Commission on the Status of Women.
HIV was responsible for approximately 60,000 maternal deaths in 2009, is among the leading causes of death of women of reproductive age, and sexual transmission remains the leading cause of infection. Despite this overlap of HIV/AIDS issues with reproductive rights and maternal health concerns, U.S. global AIDS programs continue to operate largely independently of family planning and other sexual and reproductive health programs.
Integrated sexual and reproductive health services--HIV prevention, treatment, and care; cancer screening and treatment; maternal health care; and family planning services – are essential in the fight against the HIV pandemic. Lack of integration results in critical healthcare gaps that limit the effectiveness of U.S. global AIDS programs and compromise women's health: Women living with HIV may go untreated because their family planning provider does not test for HIV. Others may receive treatment at an HIV clinic, yet face stigma if they seek prenatal care. Girls facing unintended pregnancy may receive prenatal and maternity care, yet no information on contraceptive methods.
In the last few years, some – including officials at USAID and the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) – have made an effort to promote integration of HIV/AIDS and reproductive health programs. In September 2011, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), in partnership with George W. Bush Institute, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and UNAIDS, launched the global Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon campaign, an initiative that integrates cervical and breast cancer education, screening, and treatment with HIV services. Evidence indicates that integrating family planning as well is the logical next step, yet U.S. global AIDS programs continue to operate from a non-integrated starting point, i.e. "Where does it make sense to integrate efforts?" as opposed to "Where does it makes sense to separate?"
Anna Inguru, International Community of Women Living With HIV –Global, on integrating HIV and sexual and reproductive health services:
"I do not want, 20 years from now, another girl standing here in this forum talking about their experience (living with HIV) simply because they had no education on their sexual and reproductive health."
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Related Publications
- Ficha técnica: ¿Qué tiene que ver la planificación familiar con el VIH? Todo.
La planificación familiar voluntaria es un componente indispensable de la prevención y el tratamiento del VIH. - The U.S. Global Health Initiative and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Integration
Read our new publication on integration, the Global Health Initiative, and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights. - What Does Family Planning Have to do With HIV? Everything.
Voluntary family planning is an indispensible component of HIV prevention and treatment. - Fact Sheet: Global Democracy Promotion Act of 2011
The Global Democracy Promotion Act of 2011 provides that the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act cannot impose eligibility restrictions on international recipients of U.S. aid that would be illegal if imposed nationally. Would constitute a legislative repeal of the Mexico City Policy, also called the Global Gag Rule. - Female Condoms and U.S. Foreign Assistance: An Unfinished Imperative for Women’s Health
Female Condoms and U.S. Foreign Assistance: An Unfinished Imperative for Women's Health, summarizes U.S. support for female condoms, identifies barriers, and offers concrete recommendations for improving U.S. efforts to increase access and availability of female condoms. - Fact Sheet: Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act
The Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act (H.R. 1319) establishes U.S. policy and authorizes assistance to support universal access to sexual and reproductive health care in developing countries, including contraception and safe abortion. - Policy Recommendations: Married Women and HIV: Comprehensive Prevention
In the absence of community-based efforts to alter the social structures that promote infidelity, public health programs which aim to reduce married women’s risk by telling men to be faithful will not succeed. - Research Summary: Marital Sex and the HIV Risk for Women Worldwide
Globally, women’s risk of contracting HIV is heightened if they are married, largely due to men’s extramarital sexual relationships. Despite this clear risk, current efforts to prevent the spread of HIV fall far short of protecting married women.
Related Links
- Advocates for Youth
- Americans for UNFPA
- Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
- Center for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA)
- Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR)
- Guttmacher Institute
- International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
- International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC)
- Ipas
- NARAL Pro-Choice America
- Prevention Now!
- Reproductive Health Matters
- Reproductive Health Outlook
- Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)
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