HIV/AIDS
For the first time since the start of the epidemic, an AIDS-free generation is within reach. UNICEF estimates that, since 2000, 30 million new infections were prevented, nearly 8 million deaths averted, and 15 million people living with HIV are now receiving treatment. In particular, UNICEF’s efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV have made significant progress.
But we must do more to break the deadly cycle of transmission.
Today, nearly 37 million people worldwide are living with HIV. According to the 2015 Statistical Update on HIV and AIDS among Children, HIV/AIDS is the second leading cause of death for teens globally, and AIDS-related deaths among adolescents have tripled since 2000. Worse, AIDS is the number one cause of death among adolescents in Africa.
UNICEF remains committed to a multifaceted approach to stopping the epidemic including prevention, treatment, protection and care, as well as support for children and adolescents who are most at risk.