Sophia Forum is a charity with a clear vision of empowering all women living with HIV or at risk of acquiring HIV to achieve their full potential, amplify their voices, and, ensure their needs are prioritized in the health sector and wider society.
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We aim to address the underrepresentation of women in the HIV response in the UK, as highlighted in our "Invisible No Longer" report. It showed that a significant proportion of women living with HIV experience higher mental health diagnoses, which often go undiagnosed and unsupported. 45% of respondents to our survey on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic said they were experiencing increased anxiety or depression. Women are also disproportionately affected by gender-based violence, a leading cause of HIV.
Our solution involves a campaign with 8 advocacy asks. To achieve our core objectives around mental health and the intersections of r stigma, race, poverty, gender based violence, we will collaborate with policy makers, health care providers, third sector organizations. We plan to create safe and supportive spaces for women living with HIV to access mental health and wider health support. We will train women to be come facilitators and advocates delivering the campaign.