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AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has called on Federal and State Governments to adopt and fund its Girls Act model to reduce HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women while promoting education, menstrual health and economic empowerment.
The organisation made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child.
AHF-Nigeria said adolescent girls and young women remained disproportionately affected by HIV, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, due to biological factors, poverty, gender inequality and inadequate access to health information and economic opportunities.
It explained that these challenges often limit girls’ ability to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, increasing their vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
The Girls Act programme, launched in 2016 in five countries, has expanded to nearly 40 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Built on the principle of “For Girls, By Girls”, the initiative initially targeted adolescent girls living with HIV but was later expanded to include other girls and boys, irrespective of their HIV status.
Its objectives include preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections, supporting girls living with HIV to remain on treatment, reducing unplanned pregnancies and helping girls stay in school.
According to the organisation, the programme had more than 4,500 girls actively participating in its activities as of 2026 and had distributed over one million sanitary pads.
AHF-Nigeria said the initiative focuses on health, education and livelihoods, leadership, and empowerment.
Under its health component, participants receive HIV prevention education and treatment support, while the provision of sanitary pads helps address menstrual health challenges that can disrupt girls’ education.
The programme also teaches girls to make reusable sanitary pads to improve access to menstrual products.
In Abuja and Benue State, participants have received vocational training in tie-dye, bead-making, tote-bag production and snack-making, including chin-chin, doughnuts and egg rolls.
The organisation said the skills would help girls develop sources of income, reduce economic dependence and improve their capacity to make decisions about their lives.
The leadership component provides mentorship, advocacy opportunities and platforms for girls to develop confidence and participate in decision-making. Boys are also included to encourage their involvement in creating safer and more supportive environments for girls.
In Nigeria, AHF is implementing a leadership academy in collaboration with Education as a Vaccine (EVA).
The organisation urged governments to integrate the Girls Act model into national and state HIV response strategies, education policies and youth development programmes.
It recommended dedicated budgetary allocations for menstrual health, vocational training and start-up support for out-of-school girls, programmes to help girls return to school, leadership platforms in communities and schools, and referral pathways connecting young people to HIV testing, treatment and care.
AHF-Nigeria maintained that investing in girls would help prevent new HIV infections, reduce school dropout rates and address the social and economic conditions that increase their vulnerability.
It called on other stakeholders in the HIV response to support the initiative, insisting that protecting girls should be a shared responsibility.
The organisation urged governments to adopt, fund and expand the Girls Act model to ensure that more Nigerian girls have access to health information, education, economic opportunities and leadership development.
