Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 24 June 2016 launch a National HIV Prevention Campaign for Girls and Young Women, at the Royal Agricultural Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg.

This three-year campaign will focus on HIV infections, unwanted pregnancies, school drop-out, sexual and gender-based violence, unemployment and a shortage of economic opportunities among girls and young women.

The National HIV Prevention Campaign for Girls and Young Women is a multi-sectoral programme which seeks to decrease HIV infections in girls and young women and keep girls in school.

The launch will be attended by youth from different high schools, communities from all sub-districts of Umgungundlovu and representatives from all nine provinces.

Deputy President Ramaphosa, who is Chair of the South African National AIDS Council, will be joined at the launch by the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Premiers, MECs for Health and mayors, as well as civil society leaders and representatives of South Africa’s international partners in the fight against HIV, AIDS and TB.

The launch forms part of the build-up to the 21st International Aids Conference, due to take place in Durban from 18 to 22 July 2016.

This will be the second time South Africa hosts the International AIDS Conference. South Africa first hosted this event in the year 2000.

The conference is an opportunity for South Africa to reflect on its journey since the conference of the year 2000 to push back HIV, TB and AIDS in the country, and to explore ways to overcome challenges that remain.

Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa