of HIV, and to the attainment of overall health and 
development goals. For women and girls, education 
is linked to delayed intercourse, increased age-at- 
marriage, delayed childbearing, increased child sur-
vival, improved nutrition, and reduced risk of HIV 
infection, among other positive outcomes. 
(16) Although attendance at school is consid-
ered a protective factor in preventing transmission 
of HIV, recent studies indicate that young women 
between the ages of 15–19 who are married and do 
not have children are less likely to be in school than 
single women of the same age who do not have chil-
dren. In some instances the difference is striking, as 
in the case of Nigeria, where 3 percent of young 
married women are in school, as compared to 70 
percent of young single women. 
(17) As a result of these studies, HIV preven-
tion programs that strictly focus on promoting absti-
nence-until-marriage and do not provide comprehen-
sive health and sexuality education fail to adequately 
address the true vulnerabilities faced by women, es-
pecially younger women, or to equip them properly 
with the full range of tools they need to protect 
themselves.
(18) A substantial body of evidence also exists 
to support the coordination of HIV prevention initia-
tives, including programs to prevent the trans-
mission of HIV from mother-to-child, with existing 
health care services, especially family planning and 
reproductive health programs, as the health and 
well-being of women and girls is improved when they 
have access to comprehensive care that is designed 
to address their needs. 
(19) Over the last forty years, the United 
States has made substantial investments in building 
basic health care services for mothers and children, 
including family planning and reproductive health 
care programs. In many cases these programs serve 
as a trusted source of health information and re-
sources to women, both for their own health and 
well-being, and that of their children. Frequently, 
these types of coordinated programs can also serve 
as a source of information and resources free from 
the stigma frequently associated with stand-alone 
HIV prevention programs. 
(20) The United States already works to coordi-
nate HIV prevention services with existing family 
planning and reproductive health care programs, as 
they represent a readily available platform upon
which to build new initiatives. Such efforts should 
continue as part of any global expansion of HIV pre-
vention services in order to produce an efficient and 
effective global health policy. 
(21) Efforts to increase women’s access to com-
prehensive prevention information and services, ad-
dress gender violence, increase women’s economic 
and social status, and foster equitable partnerships 
between women and men are all central to reducing 
the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide and to enhanc-
ing the success of effective treatment and care pro-
grams supported by the United States. 
(22) The comprehensive, integrated, five-year 
strategy to combat global HIV/AIDS submitted to 
Congress on February 23, 2004, as required by sec-
tion 101 of the United States Leadership Against 
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 
(22 U.S.C. 7611), does not adequately focus or pro-
vide sufficient details on United States Government 
strategies to prevent HIV infection among women 
and girls. 
SEC. 3. STRATEGY TO PREVENT HIV INFECTIONS ON A 
COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY BASIS. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—In order to meet the 
stated goal of preventing 7,000,000 new HIV infections,
as announced by the President in his address to Congress 
on January 28, 2003, it shall be the policy of the United 
States to pursue an HIV prevention strategy for each 
country for which the United States provides assistance 
to combat HIV/AIDS that emphasizes the immediate and 
ongoing needs of women and girls in those countries. 
(b) STRATEGY.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall es-
tablish a comprehensive, integrated, and culturally appro-
priate HIV prevention strategy for each country for which 
the United States provides assistance to combat HIV/ 
AIDS. Each such strategy shall encompass comprehensive 
health and HIV prevention education beyond the ABC 
model: ‘‘Abstain, Be faithful, use Condoms’’, as a means 
to reduce HIV infections, particularly among women and 
girls, and which strengthens the capacity of the United 
States to be an effective leader of the international cam-
paign against HIV/AIDS. Each such strategy shall also 
include the following: 
(1) Increasing access to female-controlled pre-
vention methods, most immediately, access to female 
condoms, and including training to ensure effective 
and consistent use of such condoms.
(2) Accelerating destigmatization of HIV/AIDS, 
as women are generally at a disadvantage in com-
bating stigma. 
(3) Empowering women and girls to avoid 
cross-generational sex and reduce the incidence of 
early- or child-marriage. 
(4) Reducing violence against women. 
(5) Supporting the development of microenter-
prise programs and other such efforts to assist 
women in developing and retaining independent eco-
nomic means. 
(6) Promoting positive male behavior toward 
women and girls. 
(7) Supporting expanded educational opportuni-
ties for women and girls. 
(8) Protecting the property and inheritance 
rights of women. 
(9) Coordinating HIV prevention services with 
existing health care services, including programs in-
tended to reduce the transmission of HIV between 
mother-to-child, and family planning and reproduc-
tive health services. 
(10) Promoting gender equality by supporting 
the development of civil society organizations focused 
on the needs of women, and by encouraging the cre-