One in every three girls in the developing world is married by the age of 18. One in seven marries before they reach the age of 15. In countries like Niger, Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, Guinea and the Central African Republic (CAR), the rate of early and forced marriage is 60 per cent and over.
Linking sexual and reproductive health and HIV recognizes the vital role that sexuality plays in people's lives, and the importance of empowering people to make informed choices about their lives, love and intimacy.
Although HIV can strike anyone, it is not an equal opportunity virus. Gender inequality, poverty, lack of education and inadequate access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services continue to fuel the epidemic. This booklet will detail how and why prevention works.