“The U.N. says gender-based violence [GBV] is a serious violation of human rights and increases the risk of HIV infection,” VOA News reports, noting the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was observed on Monday. According to UNAIDS, “every hour 50 young women become newly infected with HIV,” and [m]any of those infections are related to violence,” the news service writes. “‘In some countries where there’s a high prevalence, it’s been shown that women who are subjected to intimate partner violence, sexual violence, are 50 percent more likely to be HIV-positive than other women,” UNAIDS Director of Rights, Gender, Prevention and Mobilization Mariangela Simao said, VOA notes, adding, “She said empowering women would help end the violence” (DeCapua, 11/25).