"The [HIV/AIDS] epidemic continues its lethal march around the world, with few signs of slowing down. In the course of the past year, every minute of every day, some 10 people were infected. In the hardest-hit regions, life expectancy is plummeting. HIV/AIDS is spreading at an alarming rate among women, who now account for half of those infected worldwide." 

(Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, 2003)

In India the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) states that 25% of the 3.97 million people living with HIV/AIDS in India are women. UNAIDS figures state that 0.8% of the total adult population (15-49) in India is living with HIV or AIDS, of which 1.5 million are women in the 15-24 age group.

Women are physically more susceptible to HIV infection because of the structure of their reproductive system, however in a context of gender inequality as there is in India, this vulnerability is amplified by their social position. Because of the power relations which exist between husband and wife, the practice of living in the husband’s extended family, and a lack of economic self-sufficiency, women are unable to demand that their husbands use a condom.

Differential Impact

In India, when husbands are found to be HIV positive often it is the women who are blamed and they may be thrown out to a life of destitution, unable to return to their natal families. The care-burden for women is also greater, as they are expected to attend to their husband’s and families irrespective of their own ailing health. 

Women are less likely to come forward for testing and treatment, and their healthcare will frequently take a backseat in terms of family priorities. The further tragedy is that without knowing their HIV/AIDS status many women unknowingly transmit the infection to their child. If they knew their status and took preventative action if necessary, the rate of Mother-to-Child Transmission could be lowered to as little as 2%.

Health education and the furthering of gender equality are therefore essential in India’s fight against HIV/AIDS.

CSR’s Role

CSR has been actively engaged in promoting health and HIV/AIDS awareness among women and young girls. Our key focus over the years has been on reproductive and child health in addition to work on general health. Parivartan Swasthya Kendras - for education & health awareness, and preventive & curative health care services, have been established.

We work at four levels to help combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and the suffering it causes:

1. Awareness Generation

We have a health and HIV/AIDS awareness program under the Women Empowerment Project, funded by ICCO. We have also engaged in HIV/AIDS awareness for adolescent boys and girls in slums of Delhi , funded by ADB, and the promotion of RCH awareness for adolescent girls, supported by DST, GOI. Additionally we have been ensuring that our own centre staff are aware through the organisation of in-house trainings on HIV/AIDS.

2. Developing Partnerships

Through the Crises Intervention Centres in Delhi , the Women’s Empowerment Project in Varanasi and the Kanpur Dehat Model for Gender Mainstreaming under PACS Project, CSR has been able to set up networking and partnerships models for health awareness and healthcare delivery.

3. Care-Giving

We are establishing a 20 bedded Care Centre in Varanasi under UPSACS for HIV/AIDS patients.

4. Policy/Program/Advocacy

We co- organized a Round Table on Preventive Options for Women with the Global Campaign for Microbicides and actively lobby for effective implementation of health care policies.