Meet Lisa

9 March 2019

Lisa went to the clinic near her home in Soweto, South Africa, to try to access contraceptives, but was turned away by the nurse because of her young age.

In South Africa, over a quarter of new HIV infections occur in young women and girls—and there are high numbers of teenage pregnancies. Yet despite this, most clinics are not youth friendly. Young people are often refused access to HIV testing, condoms, or other contraceptives. Most clinic services do not cater to the specific needs of this growing population and youth friendly services remain the exception to the rule.

Like it or not, the fact is that many young people are sexually active. This is why Lisa joined other community members and activists to raise her issues to U.S Ambassador Deborah Birx, head of PEPFAR, to campaign for clinic staff to be trained to provide services that meet the needs of young people.

Find out more in this year’s People’s COP19.

About RITSHIDZE

“Ritshidze” — meaning “Saving Our Lives” in TshiVenda — has been developed by people living with HIV and activists to hold the South African government and aid agencies accountable to improve overall HIV and TB service delivery.

Partner organisations include the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), the National Association of People Living with HIV (NAPWA), Positive Action Campaign, Positive Women’s Network (PWN) and the South African Network of Religious Leaders Living with and affected by HIV/AIDS (SANERELA+)—in alliance with Health Global Access Project (Health GAP), the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), and Georgetown University’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.

CLICK HERE to read more and see where we work.