53% of All HIV Cases Comprise of Women – Yet Men Are 10 Points Behind on Treatment Access
Of 40.8 million people living with HIV in 2024, women and girls account for 53% — yet they access antiretroviral therapy at a rate 10 percentage points higher than men, revealing a gender paradox at the core of the epidemic.
Summary:
Women and girls represent 53% of all people living with HIV globally. It is a disproportionate burden driven by biological vulnerability, gender-based violence, and limited autonomy over sexual health decisions.
Despite carrying the greater HIV burden, women (83%) outpace men (73%) in ART access by 10 percentage points. It suggests that men are disengaging from healthcare systems at a dangerous rate.
84% of pregnant women with HIV accessed PMTCT services in 2024. It is the highest coverage of any group, yet this maternal focus has not translated into broad women’s health equity.
The 10-point ART gender gap means an estimated 630,000 more men who need treatment are not receiving it compared to their female counterparts. This is a silent, growing crisis.
Gender inequality in HIV is a two-sided crisis: women bear the highest burden of infection, while men bear the highest burden of untreated disease — both demand urgent, targeted action.