As a new millennium dawns, the HIV/AIDS pandemic continuesto ravage Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): at least 40 million people areinfected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Much of the impact of HIV/AIDS afflicts children and women: indeed the bulk of new AIDS casesare among young people, aged 15-25 and females aredisproportionately affected. The ability of girls and women to protectthemselves from HIV is constrained by their status in society.