Power and economic imbalances related to gender can increase the vulnerability of women. This vulnerability combined with stigma against women who use drugs and sex workers leave women with reduced access to harm reduction and drug treatment services. Women living with HIV also require separate attention, if only because of the issue of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (see below) and child care. Activities for female sex workers aim to create non-discriminatory, non-judgmental and user-friendly medical and psycho-social services, including HIV prevention, counselling and testing services.
