Functional Disability, Violence, HIV Status, and Risk Factors for HIV Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women — Eswatini, 2022

Eswatini has made substantial progress responding to its HIV epidemic and reducing violence against children. However, adolescent girls and young women with disabilities might be at increased risk for experiencing violence and for HIV infection, compared with those without disabilities.

Data from the 2022 Eswatini Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS) were analyzed to compare HIV infection and violence-related measures by functional disability status among adolescent girls and young women. Compared with those without a functional disability, adolescent girls and young women with a functional disability had higher lifetime prevalences of experiencing sexual, physical, and emotional violence.

Prioritizing accessible, disability-inclusive prevention programs and services might help reduce experiences of violence among adolescent girls and young women with disabilities. Partnering with disability-led and disability-serving organizations and directly with adolescent girls and young women with disabilities to plan and implement programs and services that are disability-inclusive could help ensure that adolescent girls and young women with disabilities are aware of and can access these resources.