Why is Sophia focusing on women?
16.5 million women are living with HIV and since 2002 this is rising in every region of the world. In sub-Saharan Africa 61% of adults with HIV are women. The percentage of women living with HIV in Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe are slowly growing as HIV is transmitted to the female partners of men who are injecting drug users, have had unprotected sex or sex with other men. Infection rates among young women are especially high. UNAIDS has listed marriage as a risk factor for HIV infection in Africa and Asia. The unequal social and economic position of women and girls has fuelled this increase. In the UK the proportion of women who are diagnosed HIV positive is also rising, it was 40% in 2006. In the UK positive women are still sidelined in decision-making that concerns them.
16.5 million women are living with HIV and since 2002 this is rising in every region of the world. In sub-Saharan Africa 61% of adults with HIV are women. The percentage of women living with HIV in Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe are slowly growing as HIV is transmitted to the female partners of men who are injecting drug users, have had unprotected sex or sex with other men. Infection rates among young women are especially high. UNAIDS has listed marriage as a risk factor for HIV infection in Africa and Asia. The unequal social and economic position of women and girls has fuelled this increase. In the UK the proportion of women who are diagnosed HIV positive is also rising, it was 40% in 2006. In the UK positive women are still sidelined in decision-making that concerns them.
