UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is a United Nations inter-agency initiative founded in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. UNAIDS pioneers both strategies, and their methods of implementation, for a wide variety of international aid and developmental bodies. The United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization are amongst the multitude of organizations partaking in the initiative [1].
 UNAIDS works in over 80 countries, in collaboration with civil society and government entities, to address the root causes and conditions which perpetuate the spread of HIV/AIDS. Amongst these issues is the urgent need for increased sensitivity to gender concerns [2].

UNAIDS considers gender an integral aspect in defining risk levels of infection for individuals, as well as having a significant influence over access to care. In response to these challenges UNAIDs has developed a list of “priority actions to address inequalities”, and works with Member State governments to develop the capacity to mend these gender ‘gaps’. At the government level these include advocacy and education to promote HIV/AIDs awareness, the development of sustainable and enforceable legislation which protects women, and the social and economic empowerment of women throughout all strata of society [3].

Source: UNAIDS