'Young girls 7 times more likely to contract HIV than boys' - Shout-It-Now, CEO

This week, Tracey's woman crush is Doctor Ntombifikile Mtshali and CEO of Shout-It-Now - a South African non-profit organisation that delivers youth-friendly, community-based HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health and related services and education in the Gauteng and North West provinces.

Woman Crush Wednesday is all about women inspiring others not just by saying things but by doing the work.

This week, Mtshali says it's "impossible" to be a woman right now.

"Societal norms and double standards are imposed on women which limit their opportunities and choices in the workplace, at home, in society and in general."

- Dr Ntombifikile Mtshali, CEO - Shout-It-Now

Mtshali believes that gender inequality is a side effect of the elements above which causes harm to women, especially women's health which is why the organisation focuses on girls and young women. 

"It's not that we don't want to focus on boys. We know that there's a proportional difference especially for girls and young women who are affected - when we bring it closer to the work at Shout-It-Now - girls are seven times more likely to contract HIV than their male counterparts. So, it's not a conversation about leaving boys behind. It's saying, we're shining a spotlight on young girls who are particularly vulnerable."

-  Dr Ntombifikile Mtshali, CEO - Shout-It-Now

Mtshali argues that young women not knowing their sexual and reproductive rights is a product of gender based violence and gender inequality.

"Because of gender inequality that drives gender based violence, we know that those power dynamics lead to women not being able to negotiate so it leads to gender based violence and women not being able to negotiate condom use in sexual practices."

- Dr Ntombifikile Mtshali, CEO - Shout-It-Now

To help combat gender inequality, Mtshali says it's important to ask: 'what is it that reduces the vulnerability of young women?'

Mtshali says focusing on two things:

1) Keeping young girls in school.

2) Giving young women access to economic opportunities . 

"Part of our work is keeping girls in schools. Often girls have access to primary education but they start dropping out in high school which has a ripple effect on women not being represented in the workplace and society." 

- Dr Ntombifikile Mtshali, CEO - Shout-It-Now

To learn more about Shout-It-Now or benefit from their services, follow @shoutinow_sa on social media.

Or get in touch where you are by going to a Shout-It-Now mobile clinic.

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation.