Human Development &
Capability Association

This research is based on insights from qualitative in-depth interviews conducted with sixty-three women living with HIV/AIDS in the Indian cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and semi-rural Thane district. The research applied the gender budgeting framework to HIV/AIDS policies in India to examine the question ‘how do HIV/AIDS policies address the gender concerns?’ The research examines the catchphrase of ‘feminisation of HIV/AIDS’ which is often utilised to denote women’s risk situations in the context of HIV/AIDS. However, on the basis of analysis of policies and also interviews with women living with HIV/AIDS and policy informants the research concludes that the existing HIV/AIDS policies in India are gender blind and also suggests the way forward for gender sensitisation of HIV/AIDS budgets. The debates on capability approach and human rights paradigm have been applied for developing the normative framework for HIV/AIDS policies in India. The main contention is that Capability Approach and Human Rights paradigm mutually strengthen each other and can be utilised to develop a normative framework for gender –sensitive HIV/AIDS policies in India.

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