Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says there is need to protect girls and boys from harmful practices if they are to realize their full potential and live a life of dignity now and in the future.

He made the remarks when he hosted UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, a delegation from the UN body in Kenya and representatives from the Ministry of Health.

“We discussed crosscutting priority matter, including the Triple-Threat; New HIV Infections among adolescents and young people, Teenage Pregnancy, and Gender-Based Violence. Any young person affected by the Triple Threat is one, too many,” said Gachagua during the meeting that was held at Harambee House Annex.

“I expressed the commitment of the Government to fight the Triple Threat and ensure all Kenyans live in dignity,” added the DP who at the same time announced that Kenya will from December this year take over the Chairpersonship of the UNAIDS’ Programme Coordinating Board for a period of one year.

Female Genital Mutilation and early marriage are among retrogressive practices that have cut short the dreams of thousands of school going children in the country with the government promising to wipe out such practices.