HIV/AIDS is a sub-theme of the PeaceWomen Theme: Health, and forms part of PeaceWomen’s framework to organize our women, peace and security resources for ease of reference and understanding. It is important to note that themes and sub-themes are interlinked and mutually reinforcing.

As the fourth most common cause of death worldwide, HIV/AIDS can be a direct “threat to stability worldwide,” and in fact was stated, by the Security Council in resolution 1308 (2000) to be “exacerbated by conditions of violence that increase the risks of exposure to the disease through large movements of people, widespread uncertainty over conditions and reduced access to medical care. If unchecked, HIV/AIDS may pose a risk to stability and security(Security Council Resolution 1308)”. Gender inequality both “fuels and intensifies the impact of the HIV epidemic,” due to gender norms that often dictate women’s role in sex as passive or reinforce a belief that men should seek multiple sexual partners, take risks and be self reliant.”

In conflict, women have an increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDs partially as a result of their risk of displacement and increased likelihood of being victims of sexual violence. According to the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), “wars and armed conflicts generate fertile conditions for the spread of HIV” and furthermore, “rape inside or outside refugee camps has doubtless played a part in spreading the virus.” In some such conflicts, HIV has been used purposely to infect women as a tool of ethnic warfare, and then as a result of the rape become pregnant who then bear children who will “eventually become AIDS orphans or succumb to the disease themselves.” Once conflicts subside, women additionally often have the responsibility of caring for family members with HIV/AIDS, thus they face a disproportionate burden of being the caregiver and also the one uniquely at risk for HIV contraction.

Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) requested that Member States incorporate HIV/AIDS awareness training into their “national programmes for military and civilian police personnel in preparation for deployment” and also that the Secretary-General ensure that a similar training is provided for peacekeeping troops (OP6).