As the world prepares to mark World AIDS Day 2025, UNAIDS Country Director Jacqueline Makokha has warned that Uganda--and the global community is at a "critical juncture" in the fight against HIV, with young women aged 15-24 facing the highest risk of new infections.
Speaking ahead of the national commemoration, Makokha emphasised that despite tremendous progress, the HIV response faces unprecedented challenges, including funding gaps, social barriers, and persistent gender inequalities that continue to put young women at disproportionate risk.
Uganda recorded 37,000 new HIV infections in 2024. But the most alarming statistic is that 78% of new infections among adolescents occurred in young women, compared to only 20% among boys.
"This disparity does not mean young girls are having more sex," Makokha clarified. "It reflects their biological vulnerability, the high rates of sexual and gender-based violence, and intergenerational sex, where older men exploit young girls--conditions that severely heighten their risk."
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The trend mirrors the regional picture: across Eastern and Southern Africa, adolescent girls and young women are three times more likely to acquire HIV than their male peers.
Globally, 210,000 young women aged 15-24 acquired HIV in 2023 alone, driven by limited access to sexual and reproductive health services and economic vulnerability.
Makokha outlined five UNAIDS priority strategies to reduce new infections among young women and girls:
Knowledge about HIV remains dangerously low, with global comprehensive understanding at only 70%. Makokha urged countries to equip young people with accurate, age-appropriate information.
Young people need easier access to PrEP, condoms, HIV testing, and innovative prevention methods such as injectable PrEP (lenacapavir), vaginal rings, and oral PrEP. Uganda, she said, must offer choice so young people can select what works best for them.
Stigma, gender-based violence, and discrimination remain major barriers. Community structures must be strengthened to support young people facing violence and link them to services, including HIV prevention.
Keeping girls in school and expanding economic opportunities reduces vulnerability and lowers the likelihood of transactional or survival sex.
"Young people are not just beneficiaries--they are leaders," Makokha said. Policies must reflect their lived experiences and priorities.
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Makokha urged journalists to verify information, consult the Uganda AIDS Commission, Ministry of Health, UNAIDS, and people living with HIV, and ensure stories are accurate and stigma-free.
Later this year, UNAIDS and the Uganda AIDS Commission will host an event recognizing responsible media coverage of HIV.
Makokha encouraged stakeholders and the public to participate in the National HIV & AIDS Symposium in Mbarara, which will focus on building a sustainable HIV response and amplifying the voices of communities--especially young women, young men, and key populations.
"As World AIDS Day approaches," Makokha said, "we must protect the gains we have made and push forward with urgency and unity. Ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 requires political will, sustained investment, and inclusive partnerships."
