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What women face

It’s Women’s Month. A time to remember the courage and activism of the Women’s March and to celebrate women’s contribution to our democracy. But it is equally important to reflect on the challenges South African women continue to face and what can be done to combat this. Vulnerability to HIV Women and girls carry the bulk of the HIV burden in South Africa. They are more at risk of infection and more likely to be caring for those affected. HIV incidence is highest in young women aged 15-24 at 2.3%, making up a quarter of all new infections. Adolescent girls…

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Getting youth on the move

Young South Africans face huge challenges this June 16th. Unemployment is at a new high, disproportionately affecting the youth with a rate of over 50%. Young people, particularly young women, are also carrying the burden of HIV and AIDS. Poverty, lack of opportunity and poor educational outcomes all conspire to create a generation facing some of its toughest challenges. How do we as civil society engage the youth to help them achieve their full potential?  HIV is the second largest cause of death of adolescents globally and the first in Africa. New HIV infections are concentrated in older adolescents and…

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Making good financial choices

ASPIRES works to improve the long-term economic security and HIV prevention knowledge and skills of at-risk youth in South Africa. With funding from USAID and PEPFAR, NACOSA provides training, mentoring and technical support to two community organizations – Zisize Educational Trust and Ezisakweni Development Initiative (EDI) – to deliver the ASPIRES Project in KwaZulu-Natal. The organisations work with low-income youth infected or affected by HIV and AIDS, mainly between the ages of 14 and 17. Because of their increased risk of becoming infected, young women and girls are a key or priority population and make up at least 60% of…

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