Why Men?
Engaging men with HIV services is critically important to bringing the HIV epidemic under control. Men have their own distinct health needs and vulnerabilities.
And caring for men can benefit everyone—including women and girls.
"If we want to end AIDS once and for all, we must make men part of the solution."
Elton John
Founder, Elton John AIDS Foundation
Across the Cascade
The vast majority of people untouched by the health system are men.
The chart shows people living with HIV unreached by testing, treatment, or viral suppression in Botswana as of 2019.
We cannot achieve epidemic control without caring for men.
Not Linked
Men are more likely to drop out of care
Men are less likely to adhere to treatment and become virally suppressed—thus increasing the likelihood of spread to others
Testing
Fewer men than women seek HIV testing.
This chart shows the percentage of men and women in multiple African countries who know their HIV status.
Data for Malawi, Eswatini, Zambia and Zimbabwe are from Population-based HIV Impact Assessments conducted 2015-2017. All other countries are from a UNAIDS special analysis, 2017. *Age ranges are 15-64 years for Malawi, 15 years and older for Eswatini and 15-59 years for Zambia. All other countries are all ages.
Source: UNAIDS 2017 estimates. Global AIDS Monitoring, 2017.
Treatment
Fewer men are on HIV treatment.
This chart shows global coverage of antiretroviral therapy among adults (aged 15 years and older).
Virologic Suppression
Fewer men are virologically suppressed.
These charts show people living with HIV who are virally suppressed by age and sex in four countries from 2015-2017.
Why Men?
Read the original UNAIDS Blind Spot report.
In a world of gender inequalities that disadvantage women and girls, publishing a report on how men are not being reached by health services and are not exercising their right to health may seem counterintuitive. However, men were less likely than women to know their HIV status and less likely to access and adhere to HIV treatment. As a consequence, more men are likely to die of AIDS-related illnesses than women. As the world strives to reach the high levels of HIV service coverage required to end AIDS as a public health threat, this blind spot in the response to HIV can no longer be ignored.