AIDS pandemic hits women harder yet prevention strategies lag behind.

One-timed of all individuals infected with HIV are women; the proportion of women infected will grow to 50% by the year 2000. 25% of children born to HIV-infected mothers are infected with HIV. These statistics suggest that countries must prepare for the growing tide of orphans and an expected increase in infant and child deaths due to AIDS of up to 50% over the 1990s. Prevention and control programs encourage reducing the number of sex partners using condoms and controlling sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Many women in developing countries however remain at risk for HIV infection since economic conditions necessitate that they have paid sexual relations with multiple partners for economic survival. Further married women who engage in sexual relations with only their spouse may still be at risk for infection if the spouse enjoys sex with other partners. It must also be understood that men tend to control condom use; women have many asymptomatic STDs; and women may be stigmatized for seeking treatment at a clinic. Women must participate collectively and help develop and implement prevention strategies designed to increase their degree of empowerment and reduce their risk of exposure to HIV and AIDS.