'Africa has highest rate of women, teenage girls living with HIV'
The Aids Healthcare Foundation says gender inequality remains one of the contributing factors to the high HIV infection rate among young women and girls on the continent.
The foundation took part in a global commemoration of International Women's Day in Ntuzuma, north of Durban at the weekend.
Country Director, Hilary Thulari says that 80% of women and teenage girls living with HIV are in Africa.
She says another challenge is that international funding for some HIV-related programmes is drying up.
"There is stigma associated with an HIV positive woman. There's discrimination in churches, schools, the work force, and within families.
"As gender-based violence, people will rape young girls thinking that they will be cured especially in situations where they are positive and their partner is negative," she said.
(File photo)