UNICEF warns of HIV crisis in teen girls
Teenagers, and particularly girls, are bearing the
brunt of the global AIDS epidemic, a report by the United Nations
children's fund UNICEF says.
Failure to reach teenagers is slowing down progress in tackling the global AIDS epidemic, a charity has warned.
Adolescents continue to bear the brunt of the epidemic, according to UNICEF.
It says 59 per cent of the 430,000 new HIV infections that occurred in children aged 0 to 19 years in 2017 were in the adolescent age group.
And of the 250,000 infections acquired during adolescence, two-thirds were among girls.
In a report, the charity warns that if these patterns continue, "AIDS will become even more of a 'woman's disease' in reality and perception, which could have regressive social, cultural and economic consequences for women and girls".
UNICEF estimates that every three minutes a teenage girl is infected by HIV.
It says about 30 teenagers aged 15 to 19 were newly infected with HIV per hour in 2017.
UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said: "In most countries, women and girls lack access to information, to services, or even just the power to say no to unsafe sex.
"HIV thrives among the most vulnerable and marginalised, leaving teenage girls at the centre of the crisis."
The report, which was presented to the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, states that while deaths for all other age groups, including adults, have been decreasing since 2010, deaths among teens aged 15 to 19 have seen no reduction.
The charity, which is working to help curb the spread of disease, says about 1.2 million 15- to 19 year-olds were living with HIV in 2017 and three out of five of them were girls.
It says 59 per cent of the 430,000 new HIV infections that occurred in children aged 0 to 19 years in 2017 were in the adolescent age group.
And of the 250,000 infections acquired during adolescence, two-thirds were among girls.
In a report, the charity warns that if these patterns continue, "AIDS will become even more of a 'woman's disease' in reality and perception, which could have regressive social, cultural and economic consequences for women and girls".
UNICEF estimates that every three minutes a teenage girl is infected by HIV.
It says about 30 teenagers aged 15 to 19 were newly infected with HIV per hour in 2017.
UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said: "In most countries, women and girls lack access to information, to services, or even just the power to say no to unsafe sex.
"HIV thrives among the most vulnerable and marginalised, leaving teenage girls at the centre of the crisis."
The report, which was presented to the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, states that while deaths for all other age groups, including adults, have been decreasing since 2010, deaths among teens aged 15 to 19 have seen no reduction.
The charity, which is working to help curb the spread of disease, says about 1.2 million 15- to 19 year-olds were living with HIV in 2017 and three out of five of them were girls.
Press Association
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