INTRODUCTION:
Comprehensive knowledge about HIV remains a crucial public health indicator for controlling the epidemic in Africa. Understanding sex disparities in HIV knowledge is vital for advancing global health goals, especially those related to gender equity and HIV prevention education.

METHODS:
This study examined sex-related disparities in comprehensive HIV knowledge across 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Data was sourced from the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Inequality Monitor repository and the SDG 4.1.2 education database, both integrated into the Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT). We used WHO HEAT software version 3.1 and Microsoft Excel to calculate the difference in HIV knowledge between males and females as a measure of inequality. Inequality was evaluated using Difference (D), an absolute summary measure of disparity. Education completion rates were included to explore potential social determinants.

RESULTS:
The study showed persistent disparities in HIV knowledge, with higher scores among males in all countries. Congo (D = +13.1) had the largest difference in knowledge, followed by Ghana (D = +11.9) and Côte d'Ivoire (D = +10.2). Conversely, Malawi (D = +3.2), Zimbabwe (D = +4.6), and Zambia (D = +5.7) had the smallest gaps. A moderate negative correlation (r = -0.34) was observed between national education completion rates and the gender gap in HIV knowledge. Countries with higher secondary school completion rates generally had smaller differences between males and females.

CONCLUSIONS:
Interventions aimed at reducing gender inequities in HIV knowledge should focus on expanding equitable access to education, especially for adolescent girls. Improving secondary education and incorporating gender-responsive curricula could help narrow knowledge gaps and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.3, which aims to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.