- Strengthen linkages between HIV prevention services and adolescent sexual and reproductive health -Increase access to basic HIV prevention services - Provide resources for projects that promote economic independence for girls and young women. - Facilitate Education for All.
The AIDS Support Centre (TASC) One-to-one interview: Counsellor – Female Location: Manzini Date of Interview: 23rd May, 2007 General 1. My impression about the general situation is that things are getting worse because we are seeing an increase in the numbers of those infected. Prevention component 1: Legal provision 2. Legally young girls should get married at 16/18 years but some parents are after cattle and marry them off at an early age. • sex work is not legal. • Abortion is not legal. 3. In-school girls get VCT services as long as they are above 16 years. Those below 16 should fetch a guardian or parent. Otherwise there is no distinction between married or single, between rural or urban as well as between HIV positive or negative. There is also no discrimination against marginalized groups. 4. To address the situation of HIV prevention for girls and young women, government has to “abolish polygamy and make it mandatory that each one man has one wife.” Prevention component 2: Policy provision 5. It is government policy to make available and accessible, both male and female condoms as well as information on their proper use. There is evidence in the country of improvements in the distribution of condoms as these are available in all communities even though the female condoms are sometimes in short supply. However, “increases in HIV infection does not seem to tally with availability as people continue to be infected.” In line with government policy to provide VCT services, the country has witnessed an increase in VCT services points. This service will hopefully make the HIV prevention better for girls and young women. TASC has a policy that young people below 16 years have to be accompanied by parents if they need an HIV test.