The term driver relates to structural and social factors, such as gender inequality, human rights violations and stigma and discrimination that are not easily measured that increase people’s vulnerability to HIV infection.

In Zambia (December, 2006), Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS, stressed the need to address the drivers of the epidemic: “It is patently clear that we need to make real headway against the fundamental drivers of this epidemic, especially gender inequality, stigma and discrimination, deprivation and the failure to protect and realize human rights. 

This challenge is perhaps the greatest of all those facing the AIDS response. And there can never be a technological fix for these social issues. We need positive social change – and all of us in the AIDS effort must be willing to back this. I am increasingly convinced that just expanding programmes, doing more, even much more, is not going to stop this epidemic. To reach universal access to HIV prevention and treatment care and support, we need to pay attention to the drivers.” 

In the consultations leading up to the High Level Meeting on HIV in 2006, where Member States committed themselves to attaining universal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment, participants stressed again and again that discrimination, gender inequality and the marginalization of vulnerable groups constitute major barriers to universal access.