A teenager is infected with HIV every three minutes, according to Unicef ​​| Welfare

Girls are the victims of two-thirds of the world's infections in this age group, according to data presented at the 22nd International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam.

"In most countries, women and girls do not have access to the necessary information and services, nor do they have the opportunity to refuse unprotected sex," Henrietta said. Fore, director general of Unicef.

"HIV is spreading rapidly among the most vulnerable and marginalized, putting adolescent girls at the center of the crisis," he added.

In 2017, 130,000 deaths of people under 20 were AIDS-related and 430,000 new HIV infections occurred in this age group.

Among teenagers aged 15 to 19, the number of deaths is stagnating, whereas it has been decreasing in other age groups since 2010.

Unicef ​​denounces in a report "the relations between early sexual intercourse, including with older men, relationship of power that does not say no, poverty and lack of access to counseling and testing services. "

" We know that this is linked to the lower status of women and girls in the world, "said South African actress Charlize Theron to conference delegates.

"As long as we do not reach out to young people and stop the epidemic at home … we will not achieve our goals," said Robert Matiru, director of health and nutrition. Unitaid operations (international organization of aid for medicines).

According to the International AIDS Society (IAS), four in ten African teenagers have already experienced physical or sexual violence from a man. This NGO denounces the absence of a policy of prevention of this violence or protection of youth in many countries.