Seventy per cent of young people aged 15 to 19 infected with the AIDS virus in 2023 were girls.
In sub-Saharan Africa the rate reaches a staggering 90% and could undermine recent progress against the disease, UNICEF reports.
Despite a global decline in the number of children and adolescents infected with HIV over the past decade, adolescent girls still struggle to access adequate prevention and support measures, according to the United Nations Children’s Agency.
As a result, they remain disproportionately affected compared to boys, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
Without urgent corrective action, recent advances against AIDS could be in vain, the organisation warned ahead of World AIDS Day on 1 December.
Globally, 96,000 girls and 41,000 boys aged 15 to 19 were infected with AIDS in 2023, according to UNICEF.
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There were 250,000 new HIV infections in 2023 among children and adolescents aged 0 to 19, bringing the total number of young people living with the disease worldwide to 2.4 million.
“Many countries have made significant progress towards eradicating AIDS,” Anurita Bains, UNICEF’s Associate Director for HIV/AIDS, says. “However, children and adolescents are not fully benefiting from improved access to medications and prevention services.”
“Priority must be given to children living with HIV by investing in resources and efforts to improve treatment for all, which includes advancing innovative testing technologies,” she added.
While 77% of adults living with HIV have access to antiretroviral therapy, only 57% of children aged 0 to 14 and 65% of adolescents aged 15 to 19 have similar access, according to UNICEF.
Last year, more than 90,000 children and adolescents died from AIDS-related illnesses, with 73% of them being under 10 years old.
Children aged 0 to 14 represent only 3% of people living with AIDS, but accounted for 12% of HIV-related deaths in 2023.
