The Joint Committee on HIV/AIDS has called for an intervention to deal with the increase of new infections, particularly among young women.
This follows the South African National Aids Council’s (SANAC’s) revelation that new infections are most prevalent among young women aged 15-24. Today, SANAC presented to the Committee a progress update on the national strategic plan for HIV, tuberculosis and sexual transmitted Infections for the 2012-2016 period.
The Committee, which is tasked with overseeing HIV programmes in the country, is concerned that there is an increase in inter-generational sex which in turn causes HIV/AIDS. “Sex-for-degrees is also a problem as young women in universities find themselves under pressure to sleep with lecturers in order to obtain degrees. Young women need to be empowered so as to guard against engaging in transactional sex,” said Committee’s Chairpersons, Ms Nomonde Rasmeni and Dr Bevan Goqwana.
The Committee also called for the formation and functioning of provincial AIDS councils to help in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In an attempt to find better ways of fighting the pandemic, the Committee will call other departments and relevant stakeholders (those directly involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS) to appear before it.
Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairpersons
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