Advocates hope global HIV epidemic will spur emancipation of women in developing world.

(From AP Worldstream)

Byline: EMMA ROSS

When historians reflect on the human tragedy of the global HIV epidemic, women's emancipation in the developing world could emerge a winner if the opportunity presented by the crisis is seized, specialists say.

The accelerating feminization of the HIV pandemic is gaining ever wider recognition as public health experts chart the global response.

While just under half of the 38 million people infected worldwide are women, 75 percent of infected young people between 15 and 24 are women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa. In many other areas where the AIDS disaster is at an earlier stage, infected women are increasingly outnumbering men.

Condoms are the cornerstone of prevention strategies, but are proving not to be a realistic option for many women, who often don't have the…