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On International Women’s Day UNAIDS is urging countries to stop 1 million women and girls from becoming infected with HIV every year

On International Women’s Day UNAIDS is urging countries to stop 1 million women and girls from becoming infected with HIV every year

UNAIDS, Press release - "Nearly 1 million women are becoming infected with HIV every year and only half of all women living with HIV have access to lifesaving treatment—making AIDS now the leading cause of death worldwide among women between the ages of 30 and 49.

On International Women’s Day UNAIDS has released a new report which shows that there is an urgent need to scale up HIV prevention and treatment services for women and girls. The report, When women lead, change happens, shows that globally in 2015, there were 18.6 million women and girls living with HIV, 1 million women and girls became newly infected with HIV and 470 000 women and girls died of AIDS-related illnesses.

“Women are leading change in increasing demand for and access to HIV and health services. This movement needs to grow to allow families to thrive, societies to flourish and economies to progress,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Women’s rights are human rights—no exceptions.” (Photo: USAFRICOM / Women's Leadership Forum / flickr,CC BY-NC 2.0)

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