Haitao Gong, Serge Dumont-Fudan Strategic Communications Research Fellowship winner, working at UNAIDS HQ. Geneva, 05 October 2011.
Credit: UNAIDS

UNAIDS extends a warm welcome to Haitao Gong, this year’s Serge Dumont-Fudan Strategic Communications Research Fellowship winner. Haitao is pursuing a master’s degree in marketing communications in the prestigious School of Journalism at the University of Fudan in China and joined the UNAIDS communications team as an intern in September. He will be spending the next three months turning his theoretical knowledge into practice in the high-paced environment of the UNAIDS Geneva Secretariat.

UNAIDS.org met up with Haitao to talk about travelling outside China for the first time and what he hopes to gain from this scholarship.

Tell us about the Serge Dumont scholarship that brings you to UNAIDS all the way from China.

I come from Wei Fang, the famous “Kite City”, in Shandong province in the north of China. It’s about 1000 kilometres from Shanghai. Fudan University, where I study, was founded in 1905 and is one of the top five universities in China.

The Serge Dumont-Fudan Strategic Communications Research Fellowship, through which I have obtained this opportunity to intern with UNAIDS, is jointly run by the Serge Dumont Fund and the School of Journalism of Fudan University to encourage outstanding undergraduates and postgraduates committed to a career in strategic communications. It encourages students to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice and get a much deeper insight into strategic communication.

What motivated you to apply for this scholarship?

Initially, I never had the courage to imagine that I would win the scholarship and sit here in the offices of UNAIDS. Winning an opportunity to go abroad and become an intern at a world famous international organization like this was the most significant motivation for me. It is a wonderful and attractive project. I want to give myself the opportunity to improve my skills and apply my knowledge in practice.

Why did you want to come abroad?

I was an excellent student there, but that was only in China. I hope that being here will give me a clear perspective of myself and help me find my own position, not only in China, but also in the world. I wish to broaden my vision, experience different cultures and values and develop an international perspective.

What did you know about HIV before you came here?

I didn’t know much about it at a personal level. I only knew what I saw in publicity films that it’s a virus that can cause AIDS. In China they also tell us how to prevent HIV and show respect to people living with the virus. There is a big effort in my country to raise awareness about HIV.

What are your career plans after you graduate?

Before I came here, I wanted to work for a big multinational corporation and pursue my own success. But now I think differently. Working for an international organization such as this can make you think more deeply about making a contribution to the world. And that’s what I want to do.

How has your experience been so far?

This is the first time that I’m away from China. I might not be able to adapt as quickly as other Chinese students who have been abroad before. But I am trying my best to adjust to the new environment here and I will spare no effort in making my own contribution to UNAIDS. 

The Serge Dumont Fellowship was founded to encourage talented students to pursue careers in strategic communications and public relations. As a strategic partner, UNAIDS offers unique internship opportunities each year where students receive real-world experience in its communication programmes to make their own contribution to the HIV response. So far UNAIDS has hosted three fellows from the programme.

The 3rd Conference on Drug Policies in Latin America that took place in Mexico City from 13-14 September brought together experts, academics, civil society organizations legislators and decision makers to discuss drug consumption trends, drug related problems and the policies and interventions developed in the region.

This year, there has been a very active participation from young people in the conference according to Aram Barra, programme director for youth and drugs in ESPOLEA—a Mexican youth platform working on gender, HIV and drugs from a human rights perspective. “We have been gathering a group of young activists since 2009 to promote the inclusion of young drug users in the yearly conference,” he explains. “This year we have made a difference. We moved from being passive spectators to taking active part in the discussions on an equal footing with experts and other decision makers,” said Mr Barra.

Over the course of three days, the conference promoted a social debate around different issues such as HIV among injecting drug users as well as the need for evidence based information covering the situation of youth and policies based on human rights. Reducing by 50% the number of new HIV infections among injecting drug users by 2015, as stated in the political declaration agreed by Member States at the 2011 High Level Meeting on AIDS was a constant reference throughout the conference.

The HIV epidemic in Latin America is mainly concentrated among men who have sex with men and transgender people. However, some countries like Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Mexico are showing prevalence rates around 5 % among injecting drug users.

“We need political will in Latin America to implement the right harm reduction policies and opioid substitution therapy programmes. We need to increase access to information about HIV, clean needles and syringes, create peer support environment and, for people infected with HIV, provide timely access to effective antiretroviral therapy,” said Enrique Zelaya, the UNAIDS Coordinator for Guatemala and Mexico. 

The youth in ESPOLEA emphasized the need for a supportive environment to make the goal set in the 2011 Political Declaration achievable in Latin America. “We need to see policy change that decriminalizes drug users and implement harm reduction programmes that take young drug users needs into account”. 

According to the youth group, the young crack users in the suburbs of Montevideo and the injecting drug users at the Mexican borders are part of a diverse group of drug users all with different needs and exposing themselves to different risks. There is a need to respond to these complex realities when policies are developed and services put in place.

“The youth need to be involved to make programmes work on the ground and increase their impact. Working together with UNAIDS, UNODC and governments we can achieve the goal of reducing infections by 50 % among injecting drug users,” concluded Aram Barra.

Abhinav Singh from India, Ritah Namwiza from Uganda and Anthony Adero, UNAIDS Special Youth Fellows 2011.
Credit: UNAIDS

Abhinav Singh from India, Ritah Namwiza from Uganda and Anthony Adero from Kenya have just joined the UNAIDS headquarter in Geneva, as the fourth round of the UNAIDS Special Youth Fellowship programme. Designed to create opportunities for young people from low- and middle income countries to contribute to HIV programme and policy development, the programme ensures a two-way transfer of skills between the fellows and UNAIDS staff.

Founder of the youth led organization The Dove Foundation, Abhinav Singh was working with the Uttrakhand State AIDS Control Society when he was accepted as the first ever fellow from India.

“Being the first from my country makes me feel delighted and also brings in a lot of responsibility towards the young people in India,” said Abhinav Singh. “I expect to learn profoundly and also gain quality experience for working with young people and HIV in my country. Being in UNAIDS Secretariat is like a dream come true for a public health professional and I feel really privileged to be a part of this global team.”

Most young people still have limited access to good quality education and sexual and reproductive health programmes that provide the information, services and commodities to protect themselves from HIV. The Special Youth Fellowship programme aspires to build the capacities of young people and reinforce their leadership skills to strengthen national responses to HIV.

“I was thrilled to be chosen for the fellowship” said Ritah Namwiza, who previously worked with young people’s HIV outreach programmes in Uganda. “This is a great learning opportunity—I will interact with people who have a wealth of experience in their respective fields. Everybody has been so helpful and welcoming!”

Selected through an open and competitive process, the youth fellows spend 4 months at the headquarters in Geneva, followed by 5 months in the UNAIDS Country Office in the fellow’s country of origin.

Anthony Adero, from Kenya, is a youth peer educator and activist for the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities. He felt it was a dream come true to be accepted to the programme. “To have this opportunity to develop my capacity on youth programs and leadership skills, I am very elated to be part of this programme. I hope to learn, get mentored and grow strategically to develop a strong leadership role in AIDS response in Kenya!” 

Instituted in 2008, so far 12 fellows completed the programme. The SYP alumni are working in various capacities to strengthen the HIV response at global and national level.

Executive Director Michel Sidibé and Mozambique’s Minister of Youth and Sports H.E. Pedrito Fuleda Caetano with athletes from various African countries who signed the Give AIDS the Red Card initiative.
Credit: UNAIDS/A.Joe

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and Mozambique’s Minister of Youth and Sports H.E. Pedrito Fuleda Caetano launched the UNAIDS initiative Give AIDS the Red Card. The announcement was made on the eve of the 10^th All-Africa Games, the continent’s largest multi-sports tournament bringing together more than 5 000 athletes.

“Reducing the numbers of new HIV infections is nowhere more imperative or urgent than in Africa,” said Mr Sidibé. “The All-Africa Games are a great occasion to raise awareness about intensifying efforts to reach UNAIDS’ vision of Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination and Zero AIDS-related deaths.”

The launch took place under the patronage of Dr. Aires Aly Bonifácio, Prime Minister of Mozambique. Attending the launch were former Mozambican President Joaquim Alberto Chissano as well as many leading athletes.

The UNAIDS Give AIDS the Red Card campaign aims to raise awareness and mobilize action to strengthen the response to HIV and accelerate progress across Africa. The campaign was introduced at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa with the support of 28 team captains. Captains of six teams at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany also endorsed the initiative.

At the Maputo event, heads of national delegations to the Games, including presidents of National Olympic Committees and Ministers of Sport from 47 participating countries, agreed to sign a pledge to support the Give AIDS the Red Card campaign for Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination, and Zero AIDS-related deaths.

By signing the pledge, each delegation is agreeing to set up a national plan of action on the Give AIDS the Red Card campaign in consultation with UNAIDS offices upon return to their respective countries.

The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon will be the next platform for pan-African mobilization of the initiative.

Youth participation critical to Mozambique’s AIDS response

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé (left) and Mozambique’s Minister of Youth and Sports H.E. Pedrito Fuleda Caetano launched the UNAIDS initiative Give AIDS the Red Card.
Credit: UNAIDS/A.Joe

The importance of youth and sporting community participation in the response to AIDS was emphasized by the UNAIDS Executive Director during his meeting with Mozambique’s Minister of Youth and Sports, H.E. Pedrito Fuleda Caetano.

Mr Sidibé asked the Ministry to use the All-Africa Games to promote this initiative across all sports disciplines during the Games and beyond. Mr Sidibé emphasised that “sport events should be viewed as key platforms to link with other social movements to drive the prevention revolution including reducing vulnerability of women and girls, scaling-up HIV testing and counselling, reduction of multiple partnership and accelerating medical male circumcision.”

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the region most affected by HIV, with an estimated 22.5 million people living with HIV in the region representing 68% of the global total. However significant progress is being made in the region. In 22 countries, the HIV incidence rate has declined by more than 25% between 2001 and 2009.

Michel Sidibé UNAIDS Executive Director and young mentees engage in discussion during the launch of the NewGen Aisa initiative.
Credit: UNAIDS/Kim

Across the Asia and Pacific region an estimated half a million young people aged 15-24 are living with HIV. A significant number of all new infections in the region are among young key populations including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people and young people who inject drugs.

To ensure that people who need HIV services are reached, young people require a strong voice and increased representation in the AIDS response. An initiative called New Generation (NewGen) Asia aims to develop the capacity of the next generation of young leaders from key populations to make their voices heard.

Launched on 27 August at the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific in Busan, Republic of Korea, the NewGen programme, spearheaded by the Asia-Pacific Inter-Agency Task Team for Young Key Affected Populations, stepped up a gear with an event which showcased the NewGen Mentoring Young Leaders Programme and the official launch of a new leadership course.

“You are not just the leaders of tomorrow, you are the leaders of today,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé at the launch. “Leadership is about commitment, courage and confronting what is wrong. With your energy we can build a better world.”

The NewGen Asia event involved a long table lunch which brought together 30 high-level mentors and the new young leaders, predominantly from key populations, whom the mentors will encourage and support.  The mentors are drawn from a diverse range of backgrounds, such as civil society, the United Nations, government and young people who already have strong leadership experience. They include among others Ursula Schaefer-Preuss, Vice President of the Asian Development Bank, Khartini Slamah, Chair of the Asia-Pacific Transgender Network and Jimmy Dorabjee of the Asian Network of People who Use Drugs.

A two-way learning and sharing exercise

“I believe NewGen mentoring component is a very important initiative to help stimulate dialogue between young leaders from key populations, who are often stigmatized or in difficult circumstances, and mentors who can help provide vision and leadership,” said mentor Ursula Schaeffer-Preuss, Vice President of the Asian Development Bank.

Gerard Ompad, a young mentee with experience in HIV prevention, thinks the NewGen Asia initiative will help him become a more effective champion of the needs and concerns of his community. “I’m very pleased to be part of this initiative. The training will empower us as young people from key affected communities to become real leaders and develop our advocacy skills. Youth ownership and leadership of the AIDS response is critical and this is a significant step forward for the region,” he said.

During the lively lunch, mentors and mentees discussed their expectations and planned various activities over the coming year. It was generally agreed that it would be a two-way learning and sharing exercise.

Five day leadership course

The event also provided an opportunity for the launch of a five day leadership course for young people from key affected populations and those working with them. The programme has been developed and delivered by a team of technical experts from Youth LEAD, a regional network of groups committed to advancing HIV prevention. Youth LEAD members are also heavily involved in the mentoring programme in collaboration with academic experts and UN partners. 

The course will include information on HIV and key affected populations and will have a special focus on skills-based training, including advocacy, communication and leadership.

In a further commitment to championing youth engagement in the AIDS response, Youth LEAD, in collaboration with the HIV Young Leaders Fund also launched a request for youth lead initiatives working to address the needs of those most affected by HIV in Southeast Asia and the Pacific for its 2011-2012 funding round.

It is hoped that the multi-pronged NewGen Asia initiative will reap clear benefits in increasing the effective engagement of key communities which are bearing the brunt of the AIDS epidemic in the region.

Anupama Rao Singh, UNICEF's Director of East Asia and the Pacific Region commented on the importance of the NewGen initiative:

“Young people most affected by the AIDS epidemic are at the heart of prevention revolution in Asia and the Pacific. The NewGen Asia initiative, with support from the regional inter-agency task team, will build young people's leadership to advocate policies and programmes that concern them and prepare a new generation of change agents for the region's AIDS response.”

A version of this story was first published at UNICEF.org

Young People We Care volunteers harvest for Ambuya Sylvia Nyawera.
Credit: Bertha Shoko/Nyanga, Zimbabwe

Ambuya Sylvia Nyawera is an elderly woman from the village of Dombo in the rural Nyanga area of Zimbabwe, about 300 kilometres east of Harare. Her life can be lonely. After spending the weekend with her son John, a schoolteacher in another part of Nyanga, Ms. Nyawera is by herself again.

She lost her other children to AIDS-related illnesses a few years ago. “If they were here, they would take care of me,” she explains. “John does his best, but he can’t be here all the time because he has to work and also take care of his family.”

Although HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe is declining, at more than 14 percent in the adult population it is still high. Many older people have been affected by HIV, with the death of their children leaving them to fend for themselves. Some are also now caregivers to the almost one million orphans left behind by AIDS in the country.  

Although Ms. Nyawera feels a deep sense of longing for her late children, she has been blessed with more ‘children’ who visit her at least three times a week through the Young People We Care (YPWC) programme. She looks forward to their company.  

Easing the burden

An initiative of UNICEF Zimbabwe, the YPWC programme began in 2005. It is part of an effort to offer support to households where there is illness or where an elderly person has no one to take care of them.

YPWC also gives young people information on how to prevent HIV, how to access care and treatment to young people in need, and provides skills training in preparation for adulthood. Several thousand participants have now gone through the programme.

This past farming season, YPWC members helped Ms. Nyawera plant and harvest about 20 bags of maize, her biggest crop in five years. They also assisted her with planting and harvesting potatoes, thereby significantly improving food security in her household.

“Without these children I really would not have harvested much. They worked hard. God will bless them,” says Ms. Nyawera.

An enriching experience

Being part of a YPWC club also often benefits the young volunteers. The Nyanga club is composed of 10 young people who are out of school.

One of them, Hilda, 18, has been living with HIV since birth and recently started antiretroviral treatment. As a result of illness, Hilda sometimes cannot join her team for home visits, but she never misses a chance when she is well.   

Hilda says being a volunteer has allowed her to come to terms with her own HIV status.

“Before I became a member of the YPWC programme, I had very little knowledge about AIDS,” she recalls. “Now I understand that I can live a normal and productive life even though I am HIV-positive.”

Part of the solution

With support from UNICEF and many others, YPWC continues to make a difference in towns and villages across the country.  

“The role that the YPWC clubs is playing in communities cannot be over emphasized,” says UNICEF Representative in Zimbabwe, Dr. Peter Salama. “As a result of HIV, the burden of care remains very high in many communities,” he adds. “Young people represent a critical element of the solution, and we need to continue to honour their skills and energy.”

In April young people from more than 70 countries came together in Bamako, Mali for the Global Youth Summit on HIV, hosted by UNAIDS and the Government of Mali, where young people launched a call to action directed at world leaders ahead of the High Level Meeting on AIDS June, 2011.
Credit: KK

August 2010 to 2011 is designated as International Year of Youth and as the world celebrates International Youth Day on August 12, young people aged 15-24 represent one fifth of the global population. Almost nine out of ten young people live in a low- or middle-income country. Many face challenges brought about by limited access to, among other things, healthcare, education and economic opportunities.

Despite these hurdles, young women and men can play a significant role in lifting themselves, their families and communities out of poverty and protecting their health. Recent data from UNAIDS indicates that HIV prevalence has dropped by more than 25% among young people in 15 out of 21 countries most affected by HIV. While this represents significant progress, universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for young people has yet to be achieved.

“A significant step forward was taken in June 2011 when UN Member States adopted the Political Declaration on HIV and committed to harnessing the energy of young people to lead global HIV awareness,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. “Young people are choosing to have sex later, have fewer partners and are increasingly using condoms. In other words, young people are leading the world in bringing about an HIV prevention revolution.”

To mark the International Year of Youth, UNAIDS and partners launched on the report entitled Securing the Future Today at the end of July. The report highlights that young people account for 41% of all new HIV infections among adults with 3 000 young people becoming newly infected with HIV  each day, and 4.9 million young women and men were living with HIV worldwide in 2009. In addition, in low- and middle-income countries, only 24% of young women and 36% of young men have comprehensive knowledge of HIV. In many countries, condom use still remains low, especially among young women.

Empowering young people to protect themselves against HIV requires more support to amplify the movement, led by and for young people, that is demanding rights-based, evidence informed sexual and reproductive health services including sexuality education.  Social networking sites and mobile applications can be leveraged to design innovative behavior change strategies and provide new ways of organizing movements and access to information and services.

UNAIDS is currently developing a strategy on how to work more effectively with young leaders to reach UNAIDS’ vision of zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

Young leaders and government policy-makers discussing commitments made regarding young people and the AIDS response. UN HQ, New York. 26 July 2011.
Credit: UNFPA

A new report highlights that global commitments will be achieved only if the unique needs of young women and men are acknowledged and their human rights fulfilled, respected, and protected.

The Global Inter-Agency Task Team on HIV and Young People launched the synthesis report entitled Securing the Future Today containing strategic information about HIV and young people. The report was launched at an event organized by UNAIDS on the sidelines of the United Nations High-level Meeting on Youth which took place in New York from 25-26 July under the theme “Youth: Dialogue and mutual understanding”.

The side event, convened in collaboration with UNFPA, ILO, Global Youth Coalition on HV/AIDS, Population Council and Catholic Relief Services, brought together young leaders and government policy-makers to discuss commitments made regarding young people and the AIDS response. Participants looked for solutions to reach a shared vision of “Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination and Zero AIDS-related deaths” among young people.

In order to reduce new HIV infections among young people, achieve the broader equity goals set out in the MDGs and begin to reverse the epidemic, HIV prevention and treatment efforts must be tailored to the specific needs of young people.

Recent epidemiology data from UNAIDS indicates that young people are leading the HIV prevention revolution by taking action to protect themselves from HIV. Young people’s sexual behaviors are changing and HIV prevalence among young people is dropping in 15 of the 21 countries most affected by HIV. However, in 2009, young people accounted for 41% of all new HIV infections among adults with 3 000 young people becoming newly infected with HIV each day. Also in 2009, 4.9 million young women and men were living with HIV worldwide.

The report highlights that young people are a key resource to reverse the global AIDS epidemic and lead the response in decades to come. But it stresses that the legal and policy barriers that prevent young people from accessing HIV services must be addressed, and young people should be engaged more effectively in the response.

In that sense, the side-event provided a platform for young people to have a direct dialogue with national Governments in order to encourage the scale up of HIV prevention and treatment services for young people as well as the active involvement and leadership of young people, including those living with HIV, in the AIDS response at all levels.

According to the new report, to effectively advance the response among young people, there is a need to increase investments. However, it also cautions that simply directing more resources will not increase HIV testing and uptake of services among young people. Instead, empowering young people and particularly young women to exercise their rights to sexual and reproductive health, improve programmes for young people and repeal national laws and policies that restrict access to HIV services for young people is required to protect future generations from HIV.

An event convened by young people in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS was attended by UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Her Royal Highness (HRH) Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Credit: NORWAY UN

An event convened by young people in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS was attended by UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Her Royal Highness (HRH) Crown Princess Mette-Marit.

The youth summit on 7 June was co-organized by some of the largest youth-led networks working on AIDS including the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS and Youth R.I.S.E; together with the International Planned Parenthood Federation together with UNAIDS.

Young people are increasingly using condoms, delaying sexual debut and having fewer sexual partners, leading the HIV prevention revolution in many high prevalence countries. In South Africa, for example, the rate of new HIV infections fell by more than 35 % between 2001 and 2009—among women aged 15-24 new HIV infections declined sharply from 5.5% to 2.2% between 2003 and 2005.

Speaking at the event, HRH Mette-Marit said, “Despite the immense progress on scaling up the global AIDS response, great challenges remain. Young people are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection and they must have access to information and services to help them protect themselves against HIV.”

HRH Mette-Marit is a long-time champion of youth leadership. “We need to unleash the full power and potential of young people to lead the global AIDS response. We can do that by engaging them as equal and empowered partners,” she said.

There are an estimated five million young people living with HIV, and 3 000 become newly infected daily. However, according to the most recent population-based surveys in low- and middle-income countries, only 24% of young women and 36% of young men responded correctly when asked five questions on HIV prevention and misconceptions around HIV transmission.

Building on the momentum generated at two events earlier in 2011—the Global Youth Summit on HIV in Mali in April, and the High Level Commission on HIV Prevention in South Africa in May—the Youth Summit was a forum for young leaders to come together and gain an understanding of the General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS and the expected outcome Declaration of Commitment.

An advocacy strategy was developed by the more than 50 youth activists during the pre-youth summit to ensure that issues that are important to the youth networks are adequately covered in the forthcoming High Level Meeting on AIDS.

“Being here [at the High Level Meeting] is important. Not just talking about wanting to be involved but really being involved,” said Pablo Aguilera, Dance for Life International. “With this pre-youth summit we want to create a strategy to follow up the resolution to hold our governments accountable so that the commitments that are made here are really going to happen in our communities.”

The summit also produced a roadmap of follow-up activities to ensure that political leaders are held accountable to their declaration following the High Level Meeting on AIDS.

UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS

Thirty years into the AIDS epidemic, and 10 years since the landmark UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, the world has come together to review progress and chart the future course of the global AIDS response at the 2011 UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS from 8–10 June 2011 in New York. Member States are expected to adopt a new Declaration that will reaffirm current commitments and commit to actions to guide and sustain the global AIDS response.

 Joint publication by UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA, ILO, WHO and The World Bank presents data on adolescents and HIV for the first time

Credit: UNICEF

Every day, an estimated 2 500 young people are newly infected with HIV, according to a global report on HIV prevention launched today. While HIV prevalence has declined slightly among young people, young women and adolescent girls face a disproportionately high risk of infection due to biological vulnerability, social inequality and exclusion.

For the first time, Opportunity in Crisis: Preventing HIV from early adolescence to young  adulthood, presents data on HIV infections among young people and highlights the risks adolescents face as they transition to adulthood. A joint publication by UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA, ILO, WHO and the World Bank, the report identifies factors that elevate their risk of infection as well as opportunities to strengthen prevention services and challenge harmful social practices.

“For many young people HIV infection is the result of neglect, exclusion, and violations that occur with the knowledge of families, communities, social and political leaders. This report urges leaders at all levels to build a chain of prevention to keep adolescents and young people informed, protected and healthy,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.  “UNICEF is committed to this cause. We must protect the second decade of life, so that the journey from childhood to adulthood is not derailed by HIV – a journey that is especially fraught for girls and young women.”

According to the report, people aged 15-24 accounted for 41% of new infections among adults over the age of 15 in 2009. Worldwide, an estimated 5 million (4.3 million to 5.9 million) young people in that age group were living with HIV in 2009. Among the 10 to 19 year age group, new data shows, an estimated 2 million adolescents (1.8 million to 2.4 million) are living with HIV. Most of them live in sub-Saharan Africa, most are women, and most do not know their status. Globally young women make up more than 60% of all young people living with HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa that rate jumps to 72%.

"Our success with improving access to antiretrovirals means more young people are surviving with HIV, but many are still unaware of their status,” said World Health Organization Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan. “WHO is committed to helping improve adolescents' access to HIV testing and counselling and to making sure that health services address their needs for prevention, treatment, care and support."

Early adolescence is a window of opportunity to intervene, before most youth become sexually active and harmful gender and social norms that elevate the risk of HIV infection are established. Communities, leaders and young people all have a role to play in changing the behaviours that place young people at risk and creating an environment where they may thrive. In southern Africa, for example where HIV infections are high in older age groups, sex with multiple partners and age-disparate relationships are fuelling HIV transmission among young people, particularly young women. But progress can be made. Community-led efforts to change such norms have been effective in communities in Tanzania, where the image of men seeking relations with younger women and girls was effectively turned into an image of ridicule.

"As the report says, too many adolescent girls become pregnant before they are ready, and have children while they are still children themselves," said UNFPA Executive Director, Dr Babatunde Osotimehin. "This puts their own health and their children’s health at risk and limits their opportunities and potential. To achieve the MDGs, it’s absolutely critical to improve access to comprehensive sexuality education and integrated reproductive health services, including family planning and male and female condoms. Evidence shows that sexual and reproductive health information and services do not lead to more frequent sexual relations or high-risk behaviour, but rather to fewer unintended pregnancies, reduced HIV infections and better health."

Certain high-risk behaviours—such as early sexual debut, pregnancy and drug use – are all signs of things going wrong in the environment of the young adolescent, and may be associated with violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. Yet social protection systems that are HIV-sensitive can contribute to the financial security of vulnerable families, improve access to health and social services and ensure that services are delivered to marginalized youths.

“The world desperately needs new HIV prevention strategies; for every two people who receive life-saving AIDS treatment, another five become newly infected, which is an impossible situation for many poor countries and their communities,” says the World Bank’s Managing Director, Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin. “Existing prevention strategies have had limited success, so we have to look for creative new approaches to reverse the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These must address people’s very basic needs for education, economic security, inclusion, dignity, and human rights. These issues are particularly crucial when we consider the health and well-being of adolescent girls, mothers and children, and socially marginalized groups.”

Family members, teachers, community leaders have a role to play in setting norms for responsible behaviour, and  in advocating for the full range of services needed for young people to stay healthy. Indeed, reducing the level of HIV incidence requires not one single intervention, but a continuum of prevention that provides information, support and services throughout the life cycle. Yet many adolescents lack access to basic HIV and prevention information, commodities and testing services.

“Young people need to have access to comprehensive knowledge and services in order to make safe choices about their health and relationships,” said UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova. “We are fully committed to this effort, leading the evidence-based push to scale up sexuality education and supporting the different needs of young people as they transition from early adolescence to adulthood. We must work together to ensure that all young people, especially girls and vulnerable populations, receive the education, support and protection necessary for preventing HIV and promoting their overall well-being,” she added.

Worldwide many young people driven by economic duress, exploitation, social exclusion and lack of family support turn to commercial sex and injecting drug use. They face an extremely high risk of infection as well as general stigma and discrimination for engaging in such behaviours. The very same young people most often lack access to HIV prevention and protection services. For national HIV responses to be effective, governments need to address the underlying problems of poverty, exclusion and gender inequality that threaten the health of future generations. Using equity as a guidepost helps to ensure those hardest to reach are not last in line, and that services are available to them and used by them.

“Nearly one of every two new adult HIV infections occurs among 15 to 24 year olds. The ILO Recommendation on HIV and AIDS and the World of Work calls for a special focus on young people in national policies and programmes on HIV and AIDS and highlights the role of education and training systems and youth employment programmes and services as critical channels for mainstreaming information about HIV,” said Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO). “Already young people often bear a disproportionate share of the burden of unemployment, underemployment and poverty, a situation aggravated by the global recession. We must enable young people to realize their full potential. Their strength is the strength of communities, societies and economies.”

As the report points out, there are opportunities to use proven prevention strategies in all epidemic contexts. In countries with generalized epidemics there are opportunities to encourage healthy attitudes and behaviours, ensure greater gender equality and allow protection to become the new norm. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, the same social norms that tolerate domestic violence also prevent women from refusing unwanted sexual advances, negotiating safe sex, or criticizing a male partner’s infidelity—all of which threatens the goal of achieving an AIDS-free generation. And in countries with low-level and concentrated epidemics, where HIV infections among youth are driven by injecting drug use, sex work, or male to male sex, there are opportunities to reshape the legal and social milieu that compounds vulnerability and to empower young people with knowledge, prevention services and health care.

“Young people are not only tomorrow’s leaders, they are the leaders of today,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “If young people are empowered to protect themselves against HIV, they can lead us to an HIV free generation.”