Our Principles

Our principles

The GCWA partners are committed to these key principles

Enable women and girls to lead change

The power and resilience of women and girls to lead change in their own lives and in their communities must be recognized, promoted, and facilitated. The Global Coalition recognizes the importance of uniting women and girls in solidarity, regardless of HIV status, age, creed, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or ethnicity. It is committed to engaging women living with HIV as core partners in shaping its advocacy. It advocates for the involvement of women and girls as decision makers, contributors, and implementers of action, as well as beneficiaries of support.

Protect girls and young women

The AIDS response must ensure the physical, sexual and psychological safety and security of girls and young women. All women and girls need access to comprehensive education and information, skills, services and resources that allow them to avoid exposure to HIV, to deal positively with their health if living with HIV, and to fulfil their role as the primary carers in the HIV response. All women have the right to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care and to the protection of their sexual and reproductive health rights, enabling them to lead full and productive lives.

Achieve gender equality and protect human rights

The promotion, protection and realization of women’s human rights are fundamental to an effective AIDS response. GCWA partners aim to bring attention and action to laws, policies, practices, and mechanisms that undermine the rights of women and girls. Work must continue to eradicate stigma and discrimination and violations of the human rights of all women and girls.

Engage men and boys

Men and boys can and must serve as positive forces in changing gender inequalities. GCWA recognizes that addressing gender inequalities which impinge on HIV prevention, treatment and care will require collaboration from all stakeholders, and it is committed to involving men and boys in its efforts to realize effective HIV strategies that work for all.

Invest in women and girls

Investing in women and girls is an investment in society. To create change that will bring about women’s empowerment and greater access to HIV services, national AIDS responses must give priority to allocation of resources for prevention, treatment and care, and research programmes that address the reality of women’s lives.

Take action to bring about societal transformation

Given sufficient attention, commitment, and resources, the factors that make women vulnerable to HIV can be changed. The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS is committed to raising awareness about the actions necessary to bring about change, to taking action to catalyse change, and to holding leaders accountable. By uniting in strength, GCWA partners commit to supporting the transformation, both within our own organizations and in society, which is critical to improving the lives of all women and girls, and men and boys, in communities across the globe.