According to the UN, young women between the ages of 15 and 24 are twice as likely to become infected with HIV as young men of the same age. In eastern and southern Africa, young women account for more than 25% of new HIV infections even though they only make up 10% of the population. Why is this happening? For one thing, there is no easy way for many of these young women to protect themselves against HIV during sex. It is time to invest in providing women with options for HIV prevention that they can control. Promising new technologies and Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy offer new hope, says Lebogang Motsumi, a South African HIV activist. Find out more about the role Canada can play by clicking here.
