HIV Prevention for Girls and Young Women 
Report Cards

These Report Cards are advocacy tools aimed at increasing and improving the programmatic, policy and funding actions taken on HIV prevention for girls and young women. Their key audiences are national, regional and international policy and decision-makers, and service providers. They build on global policy commitments, particularly those outlined in the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS from the 2 June 2006 High-Level Meeting, to follow up on the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS (UNGASS).

The Report Cards summarise the current situation of HIV prevention strategies and services for girls and young women ages 15-24 years in various countries. They also provide recommendations for key stakeholders to enhance action on HIV prevention strategies and services for girls and young women.

The report cards aim to provide summaries of HIV prevention for girls and young women in the following countries:

Cambodia
Data indicates that HIV prevalence is decreasing among adults in
general and some specific groups of females, such as younger sex
workers. However, the epidemic is disproportionately affecting girls and
young women.

Download full research dossier here (PDF)


Cameroon
HIV and AIDS continues to remain a problem in Cameroon, particularly for young women and girls. The most vulnerable groups are sex workers, truck drivers, mobile populations and military personnel. Young people (15-29) account for one third of those living with HIV and AIDS.

Download full research dossier here (PDF)

China
Although the estimated number of cases remains low, HIV is spreading rapidly in China.While previously focused on vulnerable populations (such as sex workers and injecting drug users), the epidemic is now spreading to the general population and increasingly to females.

Download full research dossier here (PDF)

Ethiopia
Young women, and girls in particular, are disproportionately affected by the
epidemic. Numerous obstacles contribute to the vulnerability of young
women and girls to HIV. These include cultural and religious factors, which
can decrease respect for women’s legal rights and access to key services.

Download full research dossier here (PDF)

India
India accounts for almost 1.4 million of the estimated 1.6 million young people
(ages 15 – 24) living with HIV in the WHO South-East Asia Region. Awareness regarding HIV is lower among women, especially girls and young women in rural and tribal areas.

Download full research dossier here (PDF)

Jamaica
Girls and young women in Jamaica benefit from relatively high levels of literacy, levels of contraceptive use and age of sexual debut (about 17 years). There is also quite low HIV prevalence (about 1% among 15-24 year olds), with the majority of cases occurring among those aged 20-39 years.

Download full research dossier here (316KB PDF)

Kenya
As a result of the increased scale up of HIV related services, the overall22 HIV prevalence rate has decreased in recent years. However, young women and girls in Kenya remain particularly vulnerable to HIV, due to persistent gender inequality and a lack of economic opportunities for young women and girls.
Download full research dossier here (323KB PDF)


Malawi
Nearly half of Malawi's population is under 15 years old. In 2005, prevalence among females aged 15-24 was four times that of males. The many factors that increase girls' and young women's vulnerability include a lack of knowledge about prevention methods (with only 57.3% stating that condoms can help prevent HIV).
Download full research dossier here (316KB PDF)

Mozambique
Nearly half of Mozambique’s population is under 15, highlighting the need to focus sexual and reproductive health efforts on adolescents and young people who are becoming sexually active. Girls and young women are particularly vulnerable. In 2005, HIV prevalence among females ages 15-24 was 10.7%, compared to 3.6% among males.
Download full research dossier here (325KB PDF)

Nepal
Girls and young women continue to be particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in
Nepal. Recent ongoing political instability and civil unrest have further
exacerbated this. As a result, there has been a significant increase in the
numbers of mobile populations.

Download full research dossier here (PDF)

Nigeria
Over 40% of Nigeria’s population is under 15 years old. Young people account for over 30% of HIV cases, with prevalence nearly three times higher among 15-24 year old females than males. The many factors that increase girls’ and young women’s vulnerability include early marriage, early sexual debut, polygamous relationships and multiple partners.
Download full research dossier here (PDF)

Papua New Guinea
Within the context of Papua New Guinea’s highly male-dominated society,
the HIV epidemic presents an extreme threat to girls and young women who
are at very high risk of infection.


Download full research dossier here (PDF)

Philippines
Half of the population of the Philippines are 21 years or under. An increasing number of young people are engaging in premarital sex and often have multiple partners, without using any form of protection. A third of women have their first child by 21.

Download full research dossier here (345KB PDF)

Serbia
Although Serbia has a relatively low rate of HIV prevalence which is largely
concentrated in the vulnerable and marginalised populations of injecting
drug users (IDUs), sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), prison
inmates and the military, the status of girls and young women is an
important factor which could contribute to an escalated prevalence among
the general population.
Download full research dossier here (298KB PDF)

Sudan
Although Sudan is now experiencing a generalised HIV epidemic, as a result
of the country’s complex history and recent civil wars it is difficult to make
generalisations about the epidemic. Key data is still lacking and it is thought
that prevalence rates are higher than current statistics indicate, particularly in
the south of the country.
Download full research dossier here (PDF)

Swaziland
Swaziland has the highest rate of adult (15-49) HIV infection in the world,
with a recent figure at 25.8%.23 Heterosexual sex is the main transmission
route of HIV and the status of women has only recently been amended from
that of minors in the national constitution (2006).

Download full research dossier here (363KB PDF)

Thailand
Girls and young women in Thailand are particularly vulnerable to HIV
infection in a number of ways, particularly through sex work and the
increasing prevalence rates among married women.


Download full research dossier here (345KB PDF)

Uganda
Uganda is one of the few countries where HIV prevalence has arguably declined over the last ten years. However, the rates are still high and young women (15-24 years) – 14% of whom have begun their sexual lives by age 15 - are more than four times as likely to be infected with HIV than young men. Among 15-19 year olds, this ratio is as high as six times.
Download full research dossier here (PDF)

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