Charlize Theron: People have become complacent about AIDS

Charlize Theron believes people have become "complacent" in the fight against HIV and Aids.

The 41-year-old actress launched The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) in 2007 and became a UN Messenger of Peace in a bid to help raise awareness and prevent the spread of the virus, which is "100 per cent preventable".

Charlize – who is from Benoni, South Africa – has urged people not to think the war on the killer illness is won and to keep pushing for a cure and for more funding.

Speaking in a video, which was posted to her Instagram account, ‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War’ star said: "I go back to South Africa. I speak to young children who are infected and I speak to young children who I know are not going to make it. And I just think to myself this is a virus, it’s 100 per cent preventable, why is this happening?

"We have become complacent in how far we have come in the fight against HIV and AIDs . And what we have forgotten is that we are not close to being done."

And the blonde beauty has urged for young people in particular to show more interest because they are the age group who are most affected by HIV and AIDS.

She continued: "Young people should care about this because young people are the ones who are being hit the hardest. HIV and Aids is the number one killer of adolescent kids in Africa. It’s the number two killer of adolescent kids between the ages of 10 and 19 globally.

"Our youth should not be dying at those kind of numbers at that rate."

Charlize captioned the clip: "It was such an honor participating in WeDay California this year! Tune into @ABCNetwork Aug 28 at 7pm / 6pm CT to watch the show. I’ll be talking about #genendit and the need to refocus on HIV. @genenditmovement@ctaop (sic)."