the beneficiary to access « any other benefit likely to contribute to the promotion and protection of the rights 108 » of persons living with disabilities. 307. Furthermore, the law mandates State institutions to ensure the participation of organizations of persons living with disabilities in « information, education and communication campaigns for screening and provision of care for disability diseases during antenatal consultations109 » and to also take part in general programmes on prevention and awareness-raising in the area of health, road traffic as well as in vocational, educational and university settings110. » b. Protection of the rights of persons infected with HIV/AIDS : 308. In spite of its youthful population, the overall HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Senegal is 0.7%. But this low rate conceals disparities which vary according to regions, gender, age and target111. 309. Thus, among both men and women, the highest prevalence rates can be found in the southern regions: in Ziguinchor (3.4% for women and 0.8% for men) and in Kolda (92.7% for women and 1.1% for men) and the lowest prevalence rates can be found in the central regions: Diourbel (0.1% for women and 0.0% for men) and Thiès (0.4% for women and 0.3% for men). 310. At the behavioral level among the youth, studies indicate that 10% of this group had sexual relations before the age of 15 and 19% of young girls started a sexually-active life between 15 and 19 years. This explains why the highest prevalence rates are observed between 40-49 years. Among women, the highest prevalence rates (1.5%) occur from the age of 25 years. 311. At the beginning of the epidemic, the ratio of infected men to women was 2 to 1.6 with a prevalence of 0.9 among women and 0.4 among men which bore testimony about the feminization of the epidemic. 312. The epidemiological situation among the high-risk population and gateway population is the following : 18.5% among professional sex workers, 21.8% among men having sex with other men (MSM), 1.4% among truck drivers, 0.8% among fishermen, 0.7% among soldiers, 0.2% among policemen, 1.9% among gold washers and 1.5% among detainees. 313. On the whole, the number of persons infected with HIV/AIDS in Senegal was estimated at 54,505. This positive result was obtained through a rapid reaction by the Senegalese authorities when they were confronted with the pandemic, as this reaction was marked by « its swiftness, by the sustainability of the success 108 109 110 111 See Article 7 of Decree 2012-1038 on Technical Committees and Special Education See paragraph 3 of Article 11 of the Orientation Law No 2010-15 of 6 July 2010. See paragraph 1 of Article 12 of the Orientation Law No 2010-15 of 6 July 2010. See AIDS Control Strategic Plan 2011-2015 of the Prime Minister’s Office, pages 11-16. 70