AIDS: The Leading Cause of Death Among Women Ages 15-44

The World Health Organization did its first study on women’s health around the world and found the AIDs virus to be the leading cause of death and disease among women 15-44 years of age.

Yesterday, the Associated Press released an article describing unsafe sex as the leading factor for AIDs in developing countries. It stated, “throughout the world, one in five deaths among women in this age group is linked to unsafe sex.” It noted how women have a biological advantage as they tend to live longer then men, but such an advantage is often cast aside as women “suffer serious disadvantages because of poverty, poorer access to health care and cultural norms that put a priority on the well-being of men.” Better access to contraception and education programs is desperately needed to battle unsafe sex and the spread of AIDs.

Want to know more? Get involved with the Global Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights campaign with Feminist Majority Foundation! More information can be found at http://www.feminist.org/global/gsrhr.html.

Photo Credit: Sully Pixel on flickr.com