Women

The EATG 4 Women is a vocal and project-oriented portfolio that aims to link EATG’s three main areas of work – policy, science, and training, to form a holistic approach for women. The portfolio will also achieve its goals through the realization of projects such as Metrodora which focuses on women’s involvement in research and development in the HIV field (henceforth: HIV R&D) and their active participation in decision-making processes. Moreover, the portfolio also promotes the active involvement of the women living in Europe 53 (East, Central, West) as identified and expressed by the EATG membership. Its mission is to give voice to empower and support CIS and Transwomen of all ages who are living or affected by HIV; and within all their capacities, prioritizing EATG members to become actively involved in the HIV response in Europe.

Globally, women are disproportionally affected by HIV, and constitute more than half of all people living with HIV. Young women and adolescent girls are especially vulnerable, accounting for 46% of new infections in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and 29% in Western and Central Europe[1]. Recent evidence and data suggest that biological differences for example in hormonal profiles (hormonal contraception and hormone therapy included) can influence the prevention choices, treatment outcomes, and retention to care with trans women being especially affected in that respect. Specific groups of women such as sex workers (14 times higher risk than other women of reproductive age)[2] and IDUs (13% living with HIV compared to 9% of their male counterparts)[3] are also disproportionally affected. Research and clinical trials have traditionally focused on male populations, a fact that has led to a lack of evidence and gaps in treatments. Finally, socio-economic conditions, like gender discrimination in the workplace, intimate partner violence, carer duties, etc. make women more vulnerable and influence their treatments and health outcomes.

EATG, engaging an increasingly diversified membership, needs to be able to address the issues faced by its’ members and the populations they are representing. As more work needs to be done in the field EATG 4 Women aims to become a vocal, project-oriented portfolio that promotes the active involvement of the women living in Europe 53 (East, Central, West) as identified and expressed by the EATG membership.

[1] UN Women – Facts and Figures: HIV and AIDS http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/hiv-and-aids/facts-and-figures

[2] Stefan Baral et al. (15 March 2012) “Burden of HIV among female sex workers in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis”, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, vol. 12, No. 7. p. 542.

[3] UNAIDS (2014) The Gap Report, p. 175.

Metrodora

Meaningful Engagement of Women in HIV Treatment Research

The aim of the Metrodora project is to foster women’s involvement in Research and Development in the HIV field (henceforth: HIV R&D) and their active participation in decision-making processes. The project foresees 3 levels of activities: assessing the involvement of women in Eastern and Western European regions; empowering advocates; and enhancing collaborative efforts between key stakeholders to improve the involvement of women in HIV R&D. By the end of the project, it is expected key stakeholders involved in women’s HIV treatment and prevention research are jointly and actively contributing to increasing women’s representation in HIV R&D processes.

Project Coordinator: This project is coordinated by the EATG office in collaboration with the EATG4Women steering committee.

Activities:

First phase:

Literature review of the women’s involvement in HIV R&D; identification of gaps, obstacles, unmet needs and best practices. Development of a position paper.

Second phase:

• Collection of informational material on clinical research in HIV on the EATG Training Academy Website and development of a reading list for women advocates participating in the programme

• Webinars: 3 webinars will be organised on the following subjects:

• Webinar 1: Women’s participation in HIV research

• Webinar 2: Introduction to Research and Development in HIV

• Webinar 3: Results of the Metrodora Research

• One-day training for 15 women advocates

Third phase:

Multi-stakeholders’ meeting between the women advocates and representatives from pharmaceutical companies, relevant international organisations, researchers, and policymakers.

Read more>>>>>

EATG4Women News

This portfolio contains news articles, publications, and interviews related to the Metrodora project.

Read more>>>