Women, Girls Equal Partners in HIV Responses, Says Activist

Tendayi Westerhof was one of the first celebrities in Zimbabwe to disclose their HIV-positive status. By Ed HoltBRATISLAVA, Feb 14 2024 (IPS) UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, recently made an impassioned call for governments to support women and girls from marginalized communities at the frontlines of the defence of human rights, to help ensure, among others, that global health is protected. This comes as the latest data from UNAIDS shows that: Globally, 46% of all new HIV infections were among women and girls in 2022 In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) accounted for more than 77% of new infections among young people aged 15–24 years in 2022. In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women (aged 15–24 years) were more than three times as likely to acquire HIV than their male peers in 2022. Every week, 4000 adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 years became infected with HIV globally in 2022, with 3100 of these infections occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Only about 42% of districts with high HIV incidence in sub-Saharan Africa had dedicated HIV prevention programmes for adolescent girls and young women in 2021. Tendayi Westerhof, national director of the PAN-African Positive Women’s Coalition Zimbabwe (PAPWC-ZIM), was one of the first celebrities in Zimbabwe to disclose their HIV-positive status and is one of the most prominent figures in the fight against HIV/AIDS in her country. IPS spoke to the former model turne...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Africa Aid Development & Aid Editors' Choice Featured Global Headlines Health Sustainable Development Goals TerraViva United Nations IPS UN Bureau IPS UN Bureau Report Zimbabwe Source Type: news