UNAIDS | 2021

Young
people
and HIV
 UNAIDS definitions 1
Adolescents: aged 10–19 years.
Young people: aged 15–24 years.

1 Definitions used for the Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting indicators. For programmatic purposes, UNAIDS also
uses the following definitions: adolescents, 10–19 years; youth, 15–24 years; young people, 10–24 years.
Young people and HIV

KEY MESSAGES

1. Despite the progress made in the past 10 years, with a 46%

decline in new HIV infections among young people (15–24 years),
the world is still behind on achieving the targets set for young
people. Progress is uneven, with steep reductions in new HIV
infections among young people in some countries, in particular in
eastern and southern Africa, but limited progress in reducing HIV
incidence among young key populations in most countries.

2. Two out of every seven new HIV infections globally in 2019 were
among young people (15–24 years). Additional efforts need
to be made to address the structural factors that increase the
vulnerability of adolescent girls, young women and young key Two out of
populations and their risk of acquiring HIV, such as gender
inequalities, gender-based violence, poverty, stigma and every seven new
discrimination, and insufficient implementation of comprehensive HIV infections
sexuality education programmes.
globally in 2019
3. Age of consent laws and policies are one of the main barriers for were among
adolescents and young people to access sexual and reproductive
health and HIV services and need to be removed to ensure equal young people
access to health and well-being services by young people. (15–24 years).
4. National prevention strategies and programmes must holistically
address the needs of young people in all their diversity, especially
young women and young key populations in high-incidence
locations.

5. Barriers to the participation of young people need to be removed

and support for their meaningful engagement and leadership
in all HIV-related processes and decision-making spaces needs
to be scaled up to ensure the sustainability of responses led by
young people.

6. Globally, only one in three young people demonstrate accurate

knowledge of HIV prevention. Access to high-quality, gender-
responsive, age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education
programmes, both in school and out of school, must be urgently
strengthened to ensure young people have the knowledge they
need to prevent new HIV infections.

Young people and HIV 1

 Global targets on HIV relating to
young people

Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: End Inequalities, End AIDS

> Result Area 7: Young people fully empowered and resourced to

set new direction for the HIV response and unlock the progress
needed to end inequalities and end AIDS.

2016 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS

> 61 (f): Commit to reducing the number of adolescent girls and

46
young women aged 15 to 24 years newly infected with HIV

% globally each year to below 100 000 by 2020.

> 61 (m): Commit to reducing the risk of HIV infection among

adolescent girls and young women by providing them with
quality information and education, mentoring, social protection
and social services, which evidence shows reduce their risk of HIV
Despite the infection, by ensuring girls’ access and transition to secondary
progress made in and tertiary education and addressing barriers to retention, and
by providing women with psychosocial support and vocational
the past 10 years, training to facilitate their transition from education to decent
with a 46% work.
decline in new HIV
infections among
young people UNAIDS global estimates for 2019
(15–24 years),
Adolescents and young people living with HIV
the world is
still behind on Total number of adolescents living with HIV: 1 700 000
[1 100 000–2 400 000].
achieving the
> Total number of adolescent boys: 740 000 [540 000–990 000].
targets set for
young people. > Total number of adolescent girls: 1 000 000 [ 550 000–1 400 00].

Total number of young people living with HIV: 3 400 000

[2 000 000–4 900 000].

> Total number of young men: 1 200 000 [640 000–1 800 000].

> Total number of young women: 2 100 000 [1 100 000–3 200 00].

2
 Trend in the total number of young people
living with HIV in the past 10 years

Adolecents and young people living with HIV, global

6 000 000

5 000 000
PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

4 000 000

3 000 000

2 000 000

1 000 000

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Aged 15–24 years Aged 10–19 years

Young people living with HIV, global, by sex

4 000 000
PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

3 000 000

2 000 000

1 000 000

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Female Male

Adolecents living with HIV, global, by sex

1 800 000

1 600 000

1 400 000
PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

1 200 000

1 000 000

800 000

600 000

400 000

200 000

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Female Male

Young people and HIV 3

 HIV prevalence among young people

HIV prevalence among young people (15–24 years): 0.3% [0.2–0.4%].

> HIV prevalence among young women (15–24 years): 0.4%

[0.2–0.6%].

> HIV prevalence among young men (15–24 years): 0.2% [0.1–0.3%].

Trend in the HIV prevalence among young

people in the past 10 years

HIV prevalence, global, among young peple

0.5

0.4

0.3
PER CENT

0.2

0.1

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Aged 15–24 years

HIV prevalence, global, among young people, by sex

0.7

0.6
PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Female Male

4
HIV prevalence among young key populations

HIV prevalence among young key populations from Global AIDS

Monitoring countries that submitted a Global AIDS Monitoring report
between 2016 and 2020 (n = number of countries):

> Among young sex workers: 4% (n = 58).

> Among young gay men and other men who have sex with men:
6% (n = 67).

> Among young people who inject drugs: 5% (n = 23).

> Among young transgender people: 11% (n = 15).

> Among young prisoners: 1% (n = 31).

Age of consent
laws and policies
New HIV infections among adolescents and young people are one of the
New HV infections among adolescents: 170 000 [53 000–340 000].
main barriers for
adolescents and
> Adolescent boys: 44 000 [6800–110 000].
young people to
> Adolescent girls: 130 000 [25 000–250 000]. access sexual and
New HIV infections among young people: 460 000 [260 000–680 000]. reproductive health
and HIV services
> Young men: 180 000 [65 000–270 000].
and need to be
> Young women: 280 000 [160 000–420 000]. removed to ensure
Eighty-two per cent of new HIV infections among young women in equal access to
2019 were in sub-Saharan Africa. health and well-
There was a 46% decline in new HIV infections among young people being services by
(15–24 years) from 2000 to 2019.
young people
Two out of every seven new HIV infections globally in 2019 were
among young people (15–24 years).

Young people and HIV 5

 Trend in the number of new HIV infections
among young people in the past 10 years

New HIV infections among adolescents and young people

1 000 000
900 000

NEW HIV INFECTIONS

800 000
700 000
600 000
500 000
400 000
300 000
200 000
100 000
0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Aged 15–24 years Aged 10–19 years

New HIV infections among adolescents, global, by sex

500 000

400 000
NEW HIV INFECTIONS

300 000

200 000

100 000

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Female Male

New HIV infections among young people, global, by sex

700 000

600 000
NEW HIV INFECTIONS

500 000

400 000

300 000

200 000

100 000

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Female Male

6
 Decrease in new HIV infections among adolescents (10–19 years),
2010–2019: 34%.

> Male: 28%.

> Female: 36%.

Decrease in new HIV infections among young people (15–24 years),

2010–2019: 31%.

> Male: 27%.

Barriers to the
> Female: 34%. participation of
young people need
to be removed
AIDS-related deaths among adolescents and young people
and support for
AIDS-related deaths among adolescents (10–19 years): 34 000 their meaningful
[23 000–50 000].
engagement
> Male: 17 000 [12 000–25 000]. and leadership
> Female: 17 000 [11 000–25 000]. in all HIV-related
AIDS-related deaths among young people (15–24 years): 46 000
processes and
[27 000–75 000]. decision-making
> Male: 21 000 [13 000–33 000].
spaces needs to be
scaled up to ensure
> Female: 26 000 [13 000–44 000].
the sustainability of
responses led by
young people
Trend in the number of AIDS-related deaths
among young people in the past 10 years

AIDS-related deaths, global, by age group

100 000
90 000
80 000
NUMBER OF DEATHS

70 000
60 000
50 000
40 000
30 000
20 000
10 000
0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Aged 15–24 years Aged 10–19 years

Young people and HIV 7

 AIDS-related deaths among adolescents, global, by sex

50 000

40 000

NUMBER OF DEATHS
30 000

20 000

10 000

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Female Male

AIDS-related deaths among young people, global, by sex

50 000

40 000
NUMBER OF DEATHS

30 000

20 000

10 000

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
National Female Male
prevention
strategies and
programmes must Decrease in AIDS-related deaths among adolescents (10–19 years),
holistically address 2010–2019: 33%.
the needs of > Male: 29%.
young people in
> Female: 37%.
all their diversity,
especially young Decrease in AIDS-related deaths among young people (15–24 years),
2010–2019: 24%.
women and young
key populations > Male: 6%.

in high-incidence > Female: 34%.

locations.

8
Demographic and Health Surveys

Adolescent girls and young women

Percentage of young women (aged 15–24 years) currently married and not
pregnant who make their own decisions regarding health care and sexual
relations, countries with available data, 2015–2019

Nepal

Bangladesh

Philippines

Uganda

Myanmar

Albania

South Africa

Armenia

Sierra Leone

Malawi
Papua New
Guinea
Zimbabwe

Zambia

Burundi

Cameroon

Angola

Jordan

Maldives

Haiti

Ethiopia

Nigeria

Pakistan

Tajikistan

Guinea

Mali

Benin

Senegal

Timor-Leste

0 20 40 60 80 100
PER CENT

Own decisions regarding health care Own decisions regarding sexual relations

Young people and HIV 9

 Adolescent girls and young women

Percentage of ever-married young women who have experienced physical

or sexual violence committed by their husband/partner in the 12 months
preceding the survey, 2015–2019, compared with national total

Sierra Leone

Burundi

Cameroon

Mali

Benin

Nigeria

Senegal

Jordan
Bolivia (Plurinational
State of)
Peru

Mexico

Tajikistan

Armenia

South Africa

Uganda
United Republic
of Tanzania
Angola

Zambia

Malawi

Zimbabwe

Ethiopia

Mozambique

Haiti

Jamaica
Trinidad and
Tobago
Papua New Guinea

Afghanistan

Timor-Leste

Bangladesh

India

Mongolia

Pakistan

Nepal

Myanmar

Maldives

Philippines

0 20 40 60 80 100
PER CENT

Total aged 15–49 years Total aged 15–24 years

Total aged 15–19 years Total aged 20–24 years

10
National Commitments and Policies
Instrument

Prevention targets and strategies for adolescent girls, young women and
their male partners

27+9+1450v
Countries that report having a national prevention strategy to reduce
new HIV infections among adolescent girls, young women and their male
partners in communities with a high HIV incidence, global, 2019, n = 195

Yes
27.2%

No data
available
50.3%

No
9.2%

Not applicable
13.3%

12+36+52v
Countries that report having set national prevention targets for adolescent
girls, young women and their male partners in communities with a high
HIV incidence, global, 2019, n = 195

Yes
12.3%

No data
available
52.3%

No
35.4%

Young people and HIV 11

 26+15+162617v
Number of countries with laws requiring parental consent for adolescents
to access HIV testing

No Yes, for adolescents

34 younger than 18 years
(17%) 50
(26%)

No data Yes, for adolescents

available younger than 16 years
51 29
(26%) (15%)

Yes, for adolescents

younger than 14 years
31
(16%)

Percentage of countries with laws requiring parental consent

for adolescents to access contraceptives

13+3+515424v
Countries with laws requiring parental consent for adolescents to access
contraceptives, including condoms, global, 2019, n = 195

Yes, for adolescents

younger than 18 years
13.3%
No Yes, for adolescents
younger than 16 years
23.6%
3.1%

Yes, for adolescents

younger than 14 years
4.6%

Yes, for adolescents

12 years or younger
4.6%

No data
available
53.8%

12
 24+11+92927v
Countries that require parental consent for adolescents to access
HIV treatment

No Yes, for adolescents

52 younger than 18 years
(27%) 47
(24%)

Yes, for adolescents

younger than 16 years
22
(11%)
No data
available
57
(29%)
Yes, for adolescents
younger than 14 years
17
(9%)

18+14+83624v
Countries with laws requiring parental consent for adolescents to access
sexual and reproductive health services

Yes, for adolescents

No younger than 18 years

47 34
(24%) (18%)

Yes, for adolescents

younger than 16 years
28
(14%)

No data
available Yes, for adolescents
70 younger than 14 years
(36%) 16
(8%)

Young people and HIV 13

 Countries in which young people are reported to participate in decision-
making spaces where these exist

Countries in which young people are reported to participate in decision-

making spaces where these exist, global, 2019, n = 131

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National authorities Civil society

Description of the graph above

> If yes, do young people participate in any of the following

decision-making spaces in the national HIV response?
> Technical teams for the development, review and update of
national AIDS strategies and plans.
> Technical teams for the development or review of programmes
that relate to young people’s access to HIV testing, treatment,
care and support services.
> Expanded United Nations Joint Teams on AIDS.
> United Nations thematic teams on legal and policy reform and
review.
> National AIDS coordinating authority or equivalent, with a broad-
based multisector mandate.
> Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism.
> Civil society coordination spaces of populations most affected by
HIV.
> Other: please specify _______________
> No.

14
 Countries reporting that young people participate in policy/guidelines/
strategy development related to their health, global, 2019, n = 195

100

80
51% 48%

60
PER CENT

14%
40 20%

20 38%
29%

0
National authorities Civil society

Yes No No data available

Life-skills-based HIV and sexuality

education policy
Globally, only one in three young people demonstrate accurate
knowledge of HIV prevention.

41+27+32v
Countries reporting education policies on life-skills-based HIV and
sexuality education—primary school, global, 2019, n = 195

Yes
No data 40.5%
available
32.3%

No
27.2%

Young people and HIV 15

 55+13+32v
Countries reporting education policies on life-skills-based HIV and
sexuality education—secondary school, global, 2019, n = 195

Yes
No data 55.4%
available
31.8%

No
12.8%

50+17+33v
Countries reporting education policies on life-skills-based HIV and
sexuality education—teacher training, global, most recent data,
percentage of reporting countries, n = 195

Yes
No data 50.3%
available
33.3%

No
16.4%

16
 “It is important to invest in new
generations of youth leadership to
ensure the sustainability of the HIV
response. This can be done by engaging
and supporting young people in all
their diversity, particularly those affected
by HIV, to influence and lead HIV service
delivery, decision-making, monitoring,
accountability, research and advocacy.
Young people must be empowered
to play leadership roles in shaping new
social norms around gender, sexuality,
identity and consent.”
Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2016

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Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
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UNAIDS/JC3018E
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