As World AIDS Day (1 December) approaches, AIDS Accountability International is releasing the first-ever global scorecard analysing country responses to the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women in the context of the AIDS epidemic: The AIDS Accountability Scorecard on Women 2009 - Are governments keeping their promises?

This independent assessment and rating is developed through a comprehensive consultative process with global health experts and civil society representatives from across the world, and evaluates data on women that all governments provide as part of the 2001 United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.

UNIFEM, represented by Ms. Nazneen Damji, Programme Specialist, Gender and HIV and AIDS, was on the development team for the creation of the scorecard.

Globally, HIV and AIDS is the leading cause of death and disease in women of reproductive age worldwide. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to, and disproportionately affected by, HIV and AIDS in the global context. Lack of accountability for addressing women's needs hampers efforts to measure the impact of different approaches, reward effective efforts, adjust or stop ineffective ones and ensure good use of resources. Without better monitoring, the international community will be unable to assess whether the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed targets are being met for a better response to women and girls in the context of HIV and AIDS.