A young woman in South Africa is four times more likely to be HIV positive than her male counterpart – a staggering statistic given South Africa’s already high HIV infection rates. Globally, girls between 15 and 19 account for two out of three new HIV infections but in sub-Saharan Africa, the figure is nearly eight out of ten.

According to UNAIDS and UNICEF, more than 800 girls in this age group are infected with HIV every week in South Africa. Women and girls are also much more likely to be caring for those infected and affected by HIV, limiting their education, work and life opportunities. Our girls are disappearing to this disease in huge numbers. Why are they so much more at risk? And, more importantly, what can we do to bring them back? (HSRC (2014) South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey, 2012).

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