UNAIDS takes action to empower women and girls to protect themselves from HIV

From the release:

"UNAIDS, together with celebrated artist and activist for women and HIV, Annie Lennox, has launched an Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV (2010–2014), which has been developed to address gender inequalities and human rights violations that continue to put women and girls at risk of HIV infection.

...

1. HIV is the leading cause of death and disease among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) worldwide.
2. In Southern Africa, HIV prevalence among young women aged 15–24 years is on average about three times higher than among men of the same age.

...

As of December 2008, 33.4 million people were living with HIV worldwide, of which 15.7 million ─ almost half ─ were women. The proportion of women infected with HIV has risen in many regions over of the world over the past 10 years. In sub-Saharan Africa, 60% of people living with HIV are women. Nearly 30 years into the HIV epidemic, HIV services do not sufficiently address the specific realities and needs of women and girls.

...

The actions include:

1. Improving data collection and analysis to better understand how the epidemic affects women and girls.
2. Reinforcing the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign through the AIDS response.
3. Ensuring that violence against women is integrated into HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmes.
4. Analyzing the impact of socio-cultural and economic factors that prevent women and girls from protecting themselves against HIV.
5. Supporting women’s groups and networks of women living with HIV to map commitments made by governments on women and HIV.
6. Scaling up engagement of men’s and boys’ organizations to support the rights of women and girls."