Department of Gender and Women’s Health

Addressing gender in HIV/AIDS Indicators: Key issues to consider

Department of Gender, Women and HealthWorld Health Organization

Geneva, October 25-26Avni Amin

Eighth HIV/AIDS Monitoring and Evaluation Review Group (MERG)

meeting

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

Caveats

Not many gender and HIV/AIDS indicators, so extrapolated from gender indicators in broader health and development

Where in UNGASS core indicators is there scope for integrating gender. Plus what are other areas for developing gender and HIV indicators

Focused on brainstorming ideas, but methodology needs to be developed

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

Why address gender in HIV/AIDS indicators?

Gender inequalities influence women and men's vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS

UNGASS declaration emphasizes gender equality in HIV/AIDS responses through articles 59, 60, and 61

Therefore, need to translate, monitor and evaluate gender-specific goals and targets in prevention, treatment, and care

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004

Opportunities to include gender in UNGASS coreindicators

Key message: Sex and age disaggregated data should be collected,

analyzed, and reported (at all levels) for all relevant indicators

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004: Gender in the: Global commitment and action indicators

1. Amount of funds spent by international donors on

HIV/AIDS (discussed Group B)

Can the financial flows questionnaire track proportion of funds spent on women (e.g. SRH services, pMTCT, married women, female sex workers, adolescent girls)?

Can use gender-budgeting tools to include:

Proportion of HIV-related health expenditures allocated to women and girls, by institution (or donor) or

Percentage of spending on HIV programmes targeting women and girls (preferred)

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

2. Assessment of HIV/AIDS advocacy efforts (discussed group B)

Additional indicator: Number of reports, pronouncements, declarations, conferences, policy statements on HIV/AIDS that specifically address or mention women, girls and/or gender inequalities (e.g. references to violence, disparities in education, lack of rights, customary practices and laws)

Source: Review and analysis of media reports, public pronouncements of leaders, international declarations, conferences, policies and statements

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004: Gender in the: Global commitment and action indicators

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

3. National Composite Policy Index

Country has strategy to integrate gender issues in HIV/AIDS programs (can be articulated different ways)

Country has laws and regulations to prevent discrimination against women and girls in marriage, divorce, and property inheritance

Country has laws and regulations to protect women and girls from rape and physical violence in all situations

Country has strategy to ensure equitable access to treatment for women

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004: Gender in the: National commitment and action indicators

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

4. Percentage of people with advanced HIV infection on ART

Needs to be sex and age disaggregated

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004: Gender in the: National programme and Behaviour

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

5. Violence Against Women: Prevalence

Percentage women 15-49 years, who ever had a partner, who have ever experienced physical violence by an intimate partner

The WHO Multi Country Study measures emotional, physical and sexual violence by an intimate partner.

The age range of 15-49 years old is used as it covers violence during reproductive years including pregnancy-related

Source: Special surveys WHO and CDC, VAW modules in DHS

Frequency: every 4-5 years

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004: Areas for further consideration

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

5. Violence against women: Measurement issues

There isn't a generally accepted indicator to capture trends

Complexities related to:

• Use of a direct indicator like prevalence or use of a proxy (e.g. attitudes and norms – included in DHS)?

• What definition of violence should be used (physical, sexual, both, emotional)?

• How should prevalence be measured (special surveys, short module, surveillance, records)?

• Special issues related to confidentiality and safety?

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004: Areas for further consideration

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

6.Sexual negotiation – a UNAIDS indicator already developed (M&E guide, 2000)

• Percent of respondents who believe that if husband has STI, wife can refuse sex or propose condoms

• Source: Population surveys, DHS, Behavioural surveillance

• More widely applicable than violence because it will include women who not experience violence

• More relevant to generalized epidemic

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004: Areas for further consideration

Department of Gender and Women’s Health

7. MDG indicators for women's empowerment

• Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education

• Share of women in wage employment in non-agricultural sector

• Proportion of seats held by women in parliament

• Last two are not very good indicators for women's empowerment, however they are MDG indicators that could be used

MERG meeting, Oct. 25-26, 2004: Areas for further consideration