Lesotho: Culture, Poverty Contribute to Spread of HIV

Culture and poverty have contributed to the spread of HIV among women in Lesotho, where one in two women ages 15 to 24 is HIV-positive compared with one in four men, the New York Times reports. In addition to being biologically more vulnerable to HIV, African traditions that afford women little autonomy have contributed to the disproportionate spread of the disease in the country.