Ending the AIDS epidemic is critical to making life better for women and girls and meeting their health and development needs, concluded a United Kingdom parliamentary panel that met in London.

The event, which took place on 4 November, was convened by Mike Freer, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on HIV & AIDS, and was attended by Grant Shapps, Minister of State for International Development. He was joined on the panel by Deborah Birx, United States Global AIDS Coordinator, the Athena Network’s Luisa Orza and UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Luiz Loures. Their audience included members of parliament, senior civil servants and representatives of community-based organizations.

In a wide-ranging discussion, the participants stressed that placing women and girls at the heart of global efforts to end the AIDS epidemic chimed well with the United Kingdom’s strong leadership in supporting adolescent girls’ well-being, empowerment and sexual and reproductive health and rights. In addition, it was asserted that responding to AIDS was important for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The participants stressed the importance of Fast-Tracking the AIDS response in the next five years. It was highlighted that by investing during this fragile five-year window, the end of the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat can be achieved, which will also leverage broader outcomes for young women and girls. However, the task cannot be left to donors alone. It was agreed that shared responsibility in financing by countries that can afford it and innovation is critical to ensure continued results.

Mr Loures noted that UNAIDS’ political advocacy, country presence and extensive work with civil society could enhance partnerships with the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, ensuring that more women and girls are reached with HIV-related programmes.

Such programmes are crucial given that AIDS-related illnesses are still the main cause of death among adolescents in Africa. Every year around 380 000 young women (between 15 and 24 years old) are newly infected with HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls account for 74% of all new HIV infections among adolescents.

The role that violence can play in heightening the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV was also discussed. In 2012, it was reported that around 120 million girls worldwide had experienced rape or other forced sexual acts and a South African study found that young women who had suffered violence at the hands of their partners were 50% more likely to have acquired HIV. Women are also often subjected to sexual violence in conflict situations.

Despite these challenges, the panel was optimistic, stating that with significant programmes and commitment, the rights of women and girls in all spheres could be significantly enhanced, allowing them to live in safety with the knowledge and freedom to make their own choices about how to protect themselves from HIV.