Count Me In! (CMI!)’s Post

Today, on National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, DiversifyRx puts a spotlight on the unique challenges that women and girls face in the battle against HIV/AIDS. Even with strides in prevention and treatment, women and girls globally still carry a heavier load of the disease. Things like gender inequality, poverty, and limited healthcare access play into their vulnerability. Today's a reminder to push for gender-responsive HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services that cater to the specific needs of women and girls. Let's all recommit to smashing gender barriers, championing women's rights, and making sure every woman and girl has the resources and support to tackle HIV/AIDS effectively. Share this post, and let's spread the word! 💪🌍 #diversifyrx #independentpharmacy #localpharmacy #communitypharmacy #smallpharmacyowner #smallbusinessowner #pharmacy #becomingapharmacybadass #pharmacybadassuniversity #NWGHAAD #HIVAwareness #EndHIVStigma #WomenGirlsHIVAIDSAwareness #SupportHerHealth

Today is National Women & Girls HIV / AIDS Awareness Day. While numbers of new HIV diagnoses among women have declined in recent years, we understand that the fight is far from over. #NWGHAAD In California, women accounted for 15% of new HIV diagnoses (12% cisgender women and 3% transgender women). Black cisgender women have new HIV diagnosis rates 6.9 times higher than White cisgender women while Latina cisgender women have rates 1.3 times higher than White cisgender women. Learn more about HIV statistics among women at www.CHPRC.org.

From AIDSVu — National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (#NWGHAAD) is an opportunity to highlight how HIV impacts girls, women and transgender women across the U.S. Black women and transgender women of color make up a disproportionate share of new #HIV diagnoses in the US. Specifically, Black women accounted for 54% of new HIV infections in U.S. women in 2021 — despite making up 14% of the female population — and Black and Hispanic/Latina transgender women represented 79% of transgender women newly diagnosed with HIV in 2020. Women and transgender individuals living with HIV also experience elevated levels of stigma compared to men. Learn more about how HIV impacts women, as well as paths for addressing disparities in HIV prevention and treatment services, here: https://lnkd.in/gais4MCA

🌍 World AIDS Day 2024: Taking Action During 16 Days of Activism 🌟 This year, World AIDS Day 2024, observed on December 1, carries the theme "Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!". It highlights the importance of human rights in achieving health equity, particularly in ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The campaign emphasizes removing barriers like discrimination, stigma, and unequal access to healthcare services. In alignment with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) (November 25 - December 10), this year’s shared focus is on "Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: Peace in the Home to Peace in the World." These campaigns intersect powerfully because GBV exacerbates women and girls’ vulnerability to HIV in several ways: How GBV Increases Vulnerability to HIV: 1️⃣ Sexual Violence and Coercion: Women and girls experiencing sexual violence are often unable to negotiate safe sex or use condoms, increasing their risk of HIV transmission. 2️⃣ Power Imbalances: In abusive relationships, women may lack the power to insist on safer sex practices or access HIV prevention services. 3️⃣ Trauma and Mental Health: Survivors of GBV may experience trauma, which can lead to risky behaviors or hinder their ability to seek and adhere to treatment. 4️⃣ Barriers to Healthcare: Stigma and fear of retaliation often prevent GBV survivors from accessing necessary HIV-related healthcare and support. 💬 What Can You Do? Advocate for equal healthcare rights and the removal of discriminatory laws. Raise awareness about the links between GBV and HIV, particularly how violence and stigma hinder prevention and treatment efforts. Support and amplify the voices of women and people living with HIV, ensuring their rights are protected and respected. Let’s take the rights path together to ensure a future free from violence and HIV/AIDS. 💪❤️ #WorldAIDSDay2024 #TakeTheRightsPath #EndGBV #16DaysOfActivism #HealthForAll

As #WorldAIDSDay approaches, let’s take the rights path! HIV remains a major global public health issue. Across the #Pacific and beyond, harmful laws, stigma, and discrimination continue to deny LGBTIQA+ individuals access to essential healthcare. These barriers undermine well-being, equality, and human rights. Under the theme “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!”, we’re reminded that everyone deserves access to #HIV prevention, treatment, and care—without discrimination based on gender, identity, status, or location. We’re calling on governments to: ✅ Prioritise HIV prevention and treatment through culturally inclusive and accessible programmes for all, especially marginalised communities. ✅ Uphold legal protections and human rights, ensuring no one faces fear or exclusion when seeking care. ✅ Combat stigma and discrimination by implementing policies and initiatives that foster inclusivity and create an environment where everyone can access healthcare without fear. Read our full statement and join the call for united action! #SRHR4All #16Days #LGBTIQA #TakeTheRightsPath #Pacific International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Tomoko Fukuda https://lnkd.in/gcrANsPY

Increased core funding for strengthening community-led organisations is not only a game changer for the lives of communities themselves, but it also brings concrete social gains as it helps reduce healthcare costs. Governments can only realize their commitment to health as a right in close partnership with well funded and organised communities. "Communities are advocating for their lives, but they often do so without the benefit of funding. The vast majority of resources are directed toward services that are often controlled by larger organisations that make sub-grants. Increased funding for advocacy can be a game-changer for women, empowering them to become champions for their own communities." #communityleadership #letcommunitieslead

🌍 Yesterday was World AIDS Day and this year we have a cause for celebration! 🎉 Recent research published in the The Lancet has highlighted a sharp decline in new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa, dropping more than half since their peak in 1995 – but this was not mirrored elsewhere. New HIV infection rates climbed in central and eastern Europe. As we dig deeper into the data, it’s clear that the path to tackling this shared health challenge, for Europe, Africa and beyond, is a rights path - as highlighted in the latest UNAIDS report: “Gender equality is an essential element of an approach to AIDS that is grounded in human rights.” 🔸Gender inequality increases the HIV vulnerability of women and girls dramatically. 🔸Young women in sub-Saharan Africa are 3 times more likely to acquire HIV than young men. 🔸Gender-based violence increases the risk of HIV and limits access to treatment. 🔸Poverty, food insecurity and inadequate education disproportionately affect women and girls further limiting access to HIV care and information. Yet, global donor funding for HIV has stagnated (declined if considering inflation), while the need for gender-transformative and inclusive health interventions dangerously grows! Ending AIDS as a public health threat requires increased investment in globally collaborative, gender-transformative HIV R&D and programmes,and ambitious  commitments to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. Curious to learn more?  Read UNAIDS' 2024 #WorldAIDSDay report: Take the Rights Path. 📑👇 https://lnkd.in/gdnjdKRC