Under each element, countries are given a score for reporting sex-disaggregated data on women and responding to relevant questions in the UNAIDS monitoring tool, selected to measure the quality of their response in that area. These scores are then aggregated and expressed in grades, from A (very good) to E (very poor).

Countries that fail to submit the required data for one or more of the constituent indicators or questions for an element receive a lower score for that element. If countries report none of the relevant data for an element, this is noted as ‘no data’. The Scorecard takes into account differences in reporting requirements for countries depending on their epidemiological type.

The Women Reporting Index provides an additional qualitative characterization of the composite scores generated by countries. Countries receiving an A or B grade are characterized as responsive, to the extent that they have reported the data required to implement an effective response to the needs of women in the context of AIDS. Countries receiving a C or D grade are characterized as aware, to the extent that the quality of their reporting shows an awareness of the need to monitor and report data specific to women, even if in practice they do not always do so systematically.

Countries receiving an E grade are characterized as unfocused on women’s needs: these countries have either failed to acknowledge women’s particular vulnerabilities to HIV infection and the obstacles that many experience in trying to  access treatment, care and prevention services, or have failed to report on these aspects. Countries that have not reported on any aspects of their AIDS response are noted as having provided ‘no data’ (ND).