Gender inequality and punitive drug policy have combined to create intersecting injustices where women who use drugs (WUD) face daily barriers to realising basic rights including the attainment of health and safety. WUD experience high rates of imprisonment, stigma, discrimination, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and inadequate access to clinical and social services.
While more men than women use drugs, globally the gap is narrowing. 7 Even today, the numbers of WUD are substantial, making inaction around gender-sensitive harm reduction provision inexcusable. Prevalence of HIV among WUD is higher than among men who use drugs. 8 In 30 countries reporting data on women who inject drugs, the pooled HIV prevalence among women was 13% compared to 9% among men. Drug prohibition, disproportionate rates of incarceration, stigma and discrimination, gender inequality and SGBV, combine to greatly disadvantage WUD.
These factors that increase the risk of HIV transmission for WUD are compounded by biological and structural factors and further exacerbated by limited access to HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. 11 Women are being incarcerated for drug offences at accelerated rates while prisons, particularly women’s prisons, lack harm reduction services. Meanwhile, service providers and governmentsremain largely ‘gender blind’ to factors that increase health risks for WUD and service
adjustments that would address those risks.
