ZAMBIA: MANY MORE WOMEN/GIRLS INFECTED AND DYING FROM AIDS.

"A human rights report released earlier this week reveals that girls in Zambia are five times more likely to be infected with the HIV virus than their male counterparts as a result of widespread sexual abuse. Human Rights Watch (HRW) completed a 121-page report entitled Suffering in Silence, which describes how young girls who suffer from sexual abuse often are attacked by their guardians.

According to Human Rights Watch, the wide-spread sexual abuse of Zambian girls is fueling the HIV/AIDS epidemic, as there is a dramatically higher prevalence among girls than boys.

A recent report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) underscores the importance of empowering women to stem the AIDS crisis, citing cultural and social beliefs about women as contributing to their vulnerability in this epidemic. HRW reports that Africa is the only region in the world 'where women and girls outnumber men and boys among persons living with AIDS. Zambia also has a large number of girls who have been orphaned as a result of the AIDS epidemic, and many of these girls are forced into prostitution, according to HRW.

'Girls orphaned by AIDS face stigma and poverty and too often are unable to stay in school. They may have no recourse but to trade sex for survival - their own and sometimes that of their siblings - and they are rarely able to negotiate safe sex.' HRW blamed the Zambian police and authorities for being ineffective in enforcing laws against sexual abuse, and held them accountable for girls being hesitant to report abuses.

The organization warned that if the Zambian government failed to address the issue it will have a negative impact in the fight against HIV and AIDS, calling for support networks for victims and better training of law enforcement officials."

EDITOR'S NOTE: As WIN NEWS has reported many times the very high and growing HIV/AIDS infections and deaths of girls and women in Africa are due to rape. Basically, every man in Africa considers it his birthright to rape every girl and woman he can overpower: the "African traditional practice of rape" is widely practiced all over the continent.

But no African leader has the courage to say the truth - that rape must stop. Not even Mandela or Kofi Annan have faced their responsibility to stand up and warn African men and the male leadership all over Africa that unless they stop this tradition of raping most African countries are doomed.

Why should Western countries spend billions on distributing drugs against HIV/AIDS in Africa when the vast majority of men refuse to control themselves and continue to rape and thus infect more girls and women. Not one African leader has said the truth that RAPE MUST STOP or Africa is doomed. Men continue to support these damaging African traditions like female genital mutilation, child marriage and rape because they derive power from these destructive practices, - their only concern.