SEVEN in every nine new HIV infections are among girls and young women aged between 15 and 24 years in sub-Saharan Africa, including Zambia, United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) data shows.
According to Zambia Daily Mail, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima has attributed this to gender inequalities and stigma and discrimination in communities.
“Part of the solution to reducing these new infections is to get girls in school, and the Zambian Government has taken the biggest step to protect girls from contracting HIV by introducing free education,” Ms Byanyima said.
“If you keep them in school, girls are able to learn how to protect themselves from contracting HIV.” Source: