Gender is a key HAARP principle and plays an integral role in all regional and country activities. The three main groups focused on by HAARP are: female injecting drug users, sex workers who inject drugs and the female partners of men who inject drugs.
Gender refers to the social roles, responsibilities, attitudes and practices of men, women, boys and girls. Above all, gender matters in relation to HIV and harm reduction because it makes men and women vulnerable in different ways, thus demanding different responses from programs.
The HIV pandemic contributes to an enormous social and economic burden on individuals, families, communities and nations. The higher male infection rate in most HAARP countries reflects the higher prevalence of male injecting drug use (IDU). However, in recent years, IDU appears to be increasing among women, with cross-over of sex work (SW) and IDU to an unknown extent.
IDU can contribute to a more generalised epidemic via sexual transmission to lower risk groups, such as women whose husbands or partners inject drugs or purchase sex. Rapid spread has occurred in this way in some locations.
For these reasons, there is urgency in addressing the different harm reduction needs of men and women to help avoid a generalised HIV epidemic. A Gender Integration Strategy was developed in 2008 and the TSU has worked with Country Programs to ensure that gender is integrated into all their activities. |