Biomedical Prevention Is Always About Social Justice, Too PREVENTION JUSTICE Biomedical Prevention Is Always About Social Justice, Too

If you don't address Human Rights and HIV first and foremost, ending AIDS will never happen. To defeat AIDS we must fight for social justice. We need to confront HIV/AIDS by mobilizing against the social drivers of the epidemic.

Not all PLHIV have the same opportunity to participate meaningfully in the HIV/AIDS response. Women, MSM, SW, IDU, migrant workers, partners of KPs, and Indigenous peoples are both disadvantaged in the wider community and within the PLHIV community.

CHALLENGES Missed opportunities for HIV testing Economic dependence Gender-based violence non-existent sex education (SRHR) Conflict zones Criminalization of drug use Transphobia Because women are perceived as not at risk for acquiring HIV. This leads to late testing and poor health outcomes. (A % of people living with HIV do not know their status) Most HIV-positive women are low-income women who face many layers of oppression and marginalization Not able to negotiate sex, use of condom & even carry condoms (z exp. of SW I was testing). As a consequence, power dynamics in relationships may negatively impact women's health. Women's health is affected by the consequences of sexism and gender based violence, illiteracy, economic dependence, inequitable development policies; and in war conflict (early prostitution, sex slavery, forced marriage, refugees, migration, imprisonment, etc.) Transgender women are especially vulnerable because discrimination and violence resulting from transphobia create and perpetuate barriers to employment, health care, and mental, physical and emotional well-being.

BENEFITS Vital contributors to the success of prevention efforts; Important partners in health care delivery; Effective advocates who can help build in-country capacity, and accountability to promote sustainable efforts.

To address the HIV epidemic among women Friendly & non-discriminatory VCT/STIs centers Access to better services (treatment, care & support package ; dignity ; lenient health care providers) Law reform (police, decision-makers / Harm Reduction / punitive laws) Media reform Religion tolerance Permanent inclusion on all levels Resource mobilization Inclusion of KPs Policies and resource distribution that uphold providing nondiscriminatory prevention and testing services, to all women (adolescents and adults) with special attention to the unique needs of transgender women, women who are incarcerated, and sex workers. This upholds the rights, dignity and quality of life for women living with and vulnerable to HIV. Substitute Therapy and Syringe exchange are a proven intervention and should be fully funded and implemented. KPs need to have better access to legal assistance. Targeted national HIV prevention campaigns developed in consultation with community partners, including KPs.

The current political environment is challenging and poses a substantial threat to KPs and to ending AIDS by 2030 as set in the UN SDGs. We need strong activism.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.