Resources

Young women in sub-Saharan Africa remain at the epicentre of the HIV epidemic, with surveillance data indicating persistent high levels of HIV incidence. In South Africa, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) account for a quarter of all new HIV infections. Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) is a strategy...

In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) account for 74% of new HIV infections among people aged 15-24. This is roughly 360,000 AGYW a year – about 1,000 AGYW per day. AGYW experience converging social, cultural, economic, and political factors that undermine their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), which makes...

Despite substantial declines in the number of new HIV infections globally, the HIV/AIDS epidemic among females ages 15-24 in select countries remains uncontrolled, with 67 percent of new infections in young people in sub-Saharan Africa occurring in adolescent girls and young women, or an estimated 280,000 new infections annually. HIV prevalence...

Despite a recent fall in new infections, South Africa still has the largest HIV epidemic in the world and has not achieved the 50% reduction envisaged in its national strategic plan for 2012-16. Adolescent girls and young women are disproportionately affected by HIV, with prevalence among 20-24 year olds three times higher in women (16%) than in...

This Comment uses data provided by Avenir Health from country-produced Spectrum files to better understand the mode of transmission for older adolescents.

This analysis uses survey data from the DREAMS programme to understand the relationship power dynamics adolescent girls and young women face in relation to select health outcomes including HIV risk and exposure to intimate partner violence.

Ending the AIDS epidemic among children, adolescents and young women requires ambitious targets and a Super-Fast-Track approach. Building on the successes of the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive, UNAIDS, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief...

This updated guidance promotes health and well-being, respect for human rights and gender equality and the empowerment of children and young people to lead healthy, safe and productive lives.

To end the growing HIV epidemic among young women, human rights violations must be addressed. The Sustainable Development Goals have the potential to help, but only if political barriers are overcome and a rights-based approach is integrated.

In this report, analysis of data from seven countries in Eastern and Southern Africa found that only 46% of young women living with HIV were aware of their status and of those on anti-retroviral treatment, 45% had reached viral suppression.

Adolescents are one sixth of the world's population and account for 6% of the world's global burden of disease and injury. Over 3,000 adolescents die every day from largely preventable causes. In 2015, the top causes of adolescent girls' included HIV/AIDS and maternal conditions. This guidance assists governments to support country implementation...

This report draws on analyses of national survey data and literature review results to provide an overview of the evidence on key aspects of sexual and reproductive health among very young adolescents aged 10–14 living in developing regions. Analyses showed that while most young adolescents report never having experienced sexual intercourse, some...

An unmet need for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV services is substantial in developing countries, particularly among older adolescent girls and young women. This editorial describes the key lessons from the Link Up project, aimed to improve the SRHR of young people most affected by HIV in five countries of Africa (Burundi,...

This report brings attention to achieving gender equality in the context of women, girls, and the HIV response. This six-month consultation in 2016 with adolescent women and young girls found that #WhatWomenWant is: collaboration and joint action by all to invest in women's HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), to be leaders and...

The purpose of this report is to guide policymakers, planners, implementers of HIV prevention programs to understand the risk of HIV for adolescent girls and young women, learn how to create and deliver effective responses, and address policy and structural changes in order to create ways to break unequal gender norms and make positive changes...

Many adolescents and young women in Zambia are faced with economic and social barriers, lack of access to health care, and gender-based violence which increase their risk for unwanted pregnancy, HIV, and school drop outs. The AGEP curriculum was developed to teach girls to build strong support networks, increase knowledge around reproductive health...

The Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) reports on the implementation of the new PEPFAR DREAMS Partnership, which aims to reduce the number of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa disproportionately affected by HIV. This report contains program insights from South Africa and Kenya, specifically around HIV...

As the recognition towards the disproportionate female-to-male infection ratio is being recognized, more programs around gender and HIV are being developed. However, this paper argues that many of these programs do not have specific target audiences, content, or evaluation plans. This paper reviews 63 well-known HIV and Gender programs and...

This paper discusses the links between education, gender equality, HIV prevention, and sexual and reproductive health. It acknowledges that these connections are widely recognized and utilized in public health programming, but that there is also a need for more combined efforts to design programs to ensure these links better reinforce one another...

Although the HIV epidemic in Ethiopia has declined tremendously, the most vulnerable populations of young people still affected are adolescent girls and young women, specifically, married girls living in urban slums. This report focuses on three programs in Ethiopia that engage girls and aim to reduce their risk of infection through mentorship,...