What are the major challenges posed by HIV/AIDS?
According to UNAIDS, the major challenges are : The female face of the epidemic. While men have traditionally accounted for a majority of positive HIV diagnoses, women are increasingly at great risk of infection. By the end of 2003, women accounted for nearly 50% of all people living with HIV worldwide and for 57% in sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately, women and girls also bear the brunt of the impact of the epidemic in a number of ways. They are most likely to take care of sick people, to lose jobs, income and schooling as a result of infection. In addition, women and girls often face stigma and discrimination that can increase their odds of contracting HIV, or lead to ostracism if they are known carriers of the virus. Many factors such as gender and cultural inequalities, violence, and ignorance contribute to the vulnerability and risk experienced by women. These issues must be urgently addressed to protect the female population from further HIV infection. Young people. Almost half of
