Migration of young people from rural to urban areas in search of employment opportunities, weakened traditional authority of elders, lack of accurate knowledge of the youth population regarding on HIV/AIDS, gender relations and increasing levels of impoverishment, have all been named as key factors aiding the spread of HIV/AIDS transmission among the pastoralist people in Northern Tanzania.

In most of the pastoralist areas where PILIDO is working, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is more pronounced among women compared to men because of polygny, early marriages, patriarchy and reluctance of men to use condoms as well as other  of  safe sex during sexual intercourse. All these factors result in high rates of transmission of HIV/AIDS and STDs within some sections of the populations. More than fifty (50% ) of HIV/AIDS infections are reported to have been transmitted through sexual transmission or transmitted during pregnancy, labour and delivery or during breastfeeding. Gender inequality among the target population is very high, and this perpetuates negative effects in relation to transmission of the disease. The level of stigmatisation is high for people living  with HIV/AIDS among the pastoralist population and in some cases those living with HIV/AIDS associated with witchcraft.