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The main purpose of the study was to examine stigmas associated with condom purchase and use among adolescents of school going age and their effect on prevention of HIV and AIDS among learners in small conservative communities of Zimbabwe. The study adopted the qualitative research design and was informed by the theory of reasoned action, which explains that people rationally weigh the costs and benefits of engaging in action because of beliefs of possible outcomes that prompt them to act in the ways they act. The study found that in small communities where people knew each other, most shops and out lets that were supposed to provide condoms were no longer ordering them because they did want to be seen as promoting promiscuity and that conservative culture among some adults in the community made it very difficult for adolescents of school going age to access and use condoms .The study further established that purchasing and getting condoms was embarrassing to most adolescents because of social stigmas and labels associated with people who were living with HIV and AIDS. It further established that the adults who were shopkeepers made it difficult for youths of school going age to buy condoms from shops because the shop keepers were judged and interrogated adolescents before selling the condoms to them. The practice was embarrassing and scaring to the youngsters. The study recommended that in closed communities where people knew each other shop keepers were supposed to be young man or ladies who would not scare away youngsters who wanted to buy and use condoms. Furthermore, free condoms should not be put in bottles stores only because bottle stores were places for adults and adolescents who were under 18 years of age were reported to their parents if seen buying condoms. Youth friendly education should be intensified to dispel shyness and lack of confidence to approach and buy condoms from outlets especially among female adolescents. Communities must receive more social education to minimize the use of stigmatizing expressions such as arimubhazi (he is going), arikujucer (putting airtime) statements that scared the youth from accessing condoms. The study also recommended that all professionals working in the industry that focuses on HIV and AIDS prevention should dispel fear associated with HIV and AIDS and help communities realize that HIV and AIDS is just like any other chronic disease that can be managed.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is one of the health burdens ravaging the world with severe impact in developing regions. Women and young girls are more threatened by HIV infection than their male counterparts. Notably, in 2022, 63% of all new HIV infections were attributed to women in sub-Saharan Africa. The anatomical architecture of the female genital tracts, poverty, gender imbalance, unrefined cultural norms aimed at subjugating women, early exposure to sex and marriage, and illiteracy are fingered to contribute to the increased risk of HIV infection in women and young girls. Mitigating these factors will no doubt help curb the prevalence of HIV infection. Herein, we highlighted some measures that could help turn down women’s risk of getting HIV including abstinence, regular use of condoms, delay in sexual exposure, maintaining one faithful partner, timely voluntary counseling and testing, formal education, monitoring of alcohol use, proper dieting, and scrapping of cultural norms targeted at subjugating women. Successfully turning down HIV infection risk in women and young girls will be a breakthrough in the combat against HIV infection since women and young girls being the most vulnerable group must have been salvaged. This paper reviewed the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in women and young girls, the factors fueling the high prevalence, and enumerated key areas to target in order to minimize this menace. Related published data from various databases were utilized.