Alerted by reports by women living with HIV, which strongly indicated that gender inequality related to cultural and economic issues posed major barriers to access and adherence to HIV treatment services, the Secretariat of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) carried out qualitative rapid assessments of gender-related and cultural barriers to HIV services.

This study presents some of the cultural and socio-economic barriers facing women in need of HIV treatment, prevention, and care. Examples are given of women in different countries who either live with the stigma or live in communities with unequal gender relations which prevent them from receiving adequate care.