‘Step It Up! Most left behind adolescent girls turning the tide on HIV and SRHR for all by 2030’ was an event co-hosted by UNAIDS and ATHENA Network with collaborating partners on 13th March 2019 during CSW.

‘Step It Up!’ was a dynamic dialogue with experts from young people ́s movements and high-level decision-makers from government, the UN, donors, academia and civil society. This unique event put the spotlight on most left behind adolescent girls—living in poverty, with HIV, with disabilities, survivors of gender-based violence, migrants, sex workers, LGBTQI, those who use drugs, domestic workers, young widows, among others—who remain largely invisible in policies, services and investments.

The neglect of their human rights, especially their sexual and reproductive health and rights, is a perilous blind spot that hampers our collective efforts and aspirations for getting to zero on exclusion, discrimination, violence and stigma. Framed in the context of achieving women ́s and girls ́ empowerment and gender equality, social protection, universal health coverage and the SDGs—the discussion with audience participation laid solutions for the way forward and advanced our learning of new ways of doing things—with young women’s voices, participation and leadership at the forefront.

Find the recording of the event here.

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