National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD) is dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of HIV on women and girls. First observed in 2005, NWGHAAD highlights ongoing efforts to improve HIV prevention, treatment, and care services among women and girls. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Women’s Health leads the U.S. government’s NWGHAAD observance.
Despite tremendous advances in HIV research over the last 40 years, women—particularly women of color and young women—remain disproportionately affected by HIV. Additional research is critical to understanding the best ways to prevent, treat, and cure HIV across women’s lifespans. It is also essential that HIV research prioritizes diverse populations to ensure all women receive access to HIV services that will work for their needs and preferences.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of AIDS Research (OAR) and Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) launched the HIV and Women Signature Program in 2023 to advance the NIH vision for women's health, a world in which all women and girls receive evidence-based HIV care, prevention, and treatment tailored to their unique needs, circumstances, and goals. The Signature Program recognizes the importance of community engagement to ensure that NIH HIV research reflects the concerns of community members and that HIV prevention and treatment services are tailored for different communities and populations.
Social Media
Use the hashtag #NWGHAAD to follow the conversation on social media. Use the Office on Women’s Health NWGHAAD Social Media Toolkit—which includes sample messages, graphics, videos, and other resources—to help increase awareness about HIV and women.
Additional Resources
NIH Office of AIDS Research
- FY 2021-2025 NIH Strategic Plan for HIV and HIV-Related Research (NIH HIV Strategic Plan): The NIH HIV Strategic Plan provides a roadmap for NIH to guide HIV and HIV-related research and direct HIV research funding to the highest-priority areas to help end HIV. The NIH Strategic Plan for HIV identifies women as a key population for HIV research.
- HIV and Women Signature Program: The HIV and Women Signature Program, a joint effort of OAR and the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) aims to advance research focused on HIV and women. The webpage provides information on NIH research priorities related to HIV and women’s health research and the importance of sex in research. In addition, this page provides links to articles and other resources at NIH and across the federal government.
- HIVinfo.NIH.gov is an online resource, maintained by OAR, that offers up-to-date HIV information to the public, people with HIV, and those who care for them. Resources include infographics, fact sheets, and an HIV Source Women Collection with links to additional resources related to HIV and women. Resources are available on the following topics:
Office on Women’s Health
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health leads the U.S. government’s NWGHAAD observance. The Office on Women’s Health NWGHAAD webpage provides information about this year’s theme and ideas to recognize NWGHAAD in your community.
HIV.gov
HIV.gov provides information on the U.S. government’s HIV response. HIV.gov aims to expand visibility of relevant federal HIV policies, programs, and resources and to increase knowledge about HIV and access to HIV services to people with, and affected by, HIV. Check out the HIV and Women’s Health Issues webpage to understand some of the health issues women with HIV may experience.