The Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV & AIDS (UNAIDS), Winnie Byanyima, has emphasized the critical role of education in protecting girls from HIV and sexual violence. Byanyima’s call comes in the wake of her address at the International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Byanyima highlighted that schools provide a protective environment for girls, shielding them until adulthood. She urged a focus on public policies to promote equality for girls and women, emphasizing that “school is the best protection from HIV and sexual violence.”
UNAIDS supports this perspective, citing evidence that keeping young people, particularly girls, in school significantly reduces their vulnerability to HIV. The organization notes that the protective effect of education against HIV is even more pronounced when young people stay in school through the secondary level.
Speaking at ICASA, Byanyima noted the importance of the conference in reviewing progress and shaping the future of the HIV response. Acknowledging the collective commitment of around 5,000 participants at the conference, both in-person and online, she emphasized the role of various stakeholders, including people living with HIV, activists, health workers, scientists, philanthropists, and governments, in the ongoing fight to end AIDS.
Byanyima highlighted Zimbabwe as one of the countries making rapid progress in the global effort to combat HIV. She referred to a UNAIDS report indicating that countries like Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have achieved the “95-95-95” targets, signifying substantial success in HIV awareness, treatment, and viral suppression.
In Uganda, where approximately 1.4 million people are living with HIV, Byanyima emphasized the importance of addressing the specific impact on women and children, with 860,000 women and 80,000 children affected by the virus. The call to prioritize girls’ education as a key preventive measure aligns with the broader global goal of ending AIDS and promoting sustainable solutions.
