Policy Brief: Review of Legislation and National HIV Policies Impacting Adolescents and Young People Living in East and Southern Africa

PATA conducted an environmental scan of eight countries in East and Southern Africa, specifically Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This review highlights key health systems factors, alongside legislative and policy components that either enable or impede access to HIV prevention, treatment and care for AYP with reference to :

1. Laws on age of consent to engage in sex, including close age provisions between partners;

2. Laws on age of consent to access HIV testing and treatment services;

3. The roll-out of universal test and treat;

4. Laws relating to same-sex practices;

5. Laws relating to the criminalisation of HIV exposure or transmission; and

6. Acknowledgement and positioning of adolescents within key strategic documents.

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