E/2009/27 E/CN.6/2009/15 Welcoming the initiative taken by the Secretary-General on 25 February 2008 to launch a multi-year campaign to end violence against women, Recalling all previous resolutions on this subject, Reaffirming that prevention, care, support and treatment for those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS are mutually reinforcing elements of an effective response that must be integrated into a comprehensive approach to combat the epidemic, and recognizing the need to ensure the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights in the context of HIV and AIDS, Recognizing that populations destabilized by armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters, including refugees, internally displaced persons and, in particular, women and children, are at an increased risk of exposure to HIV infection, Deeply concerned that the global HIV/AIDS pandemic disproportionately affects women and girls and that the majority of new HIV infections occur among young people, Deeply concerned also by the increased risk of HIV/AIDS facing women and girls with disabilities resulting from, inter alia, social, legal and economic inequalities, sexual and gender-based violence, discrimination and violations of their rights, Concerned that the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV and AIDS is increased by their unequal legal, economic and social status, including poverty as well as other cultural and physiological factors, violence against women and girls and adolescents, early marriage, forced marriage, premature and early sexual relations, commercial sexual exploitation and female genital mutilation, Also concerned that HIV infection rates are at least twice as high among young people, especially young and married women, who do not finish primary school as among those who do, Further concerned that women and girls are more vulnerable to HIV and AIDS and have different and unequal access to the use of health resources for the prevention and treatment of and care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS, Stressing with deep concern that the HIV/AIDS pandemic, with its devastating scale and impact on women and girls, requires urgent action in all fields and at all levels, Stressing that gender equality and the political, social and economic empowerment of women and girls are fundamental elements in the reduction of their vulnerability to HIV and AIDS and are essential to reversing the pandemic, Expressing its concern that the HIV/AIDS pandemic reinforces gender inequalities, that women and girls are disproportionately affected by the HIV and AIDS crisis, that they are more easily infected, that they bear the disproportionate burden of caring for and supporting those infected and affected by the disease and that they become more vulnerable to poverty as a result of the HIV and AIDS crisis, 09-28398 23