Over five days, delegates from 112 countries—including 25 000 youth and representatives from government, civil society and the United Nations—shared ideas on young people’s involvement in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The role of young people in improving the state of the world took centre stage at this week’s World Youth Conference in Leon, Mexico. Over five days, delegates from 112 countries—including 25 000 youth and representatives from government, civil society and the United Nations—shared ideas on young people’s involvement in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

With an estimated 40% of new HIV infections occurring among people aged 15-24, a youth-centered approach to the AIDS response will be critical to meet MDG 6—halting and reversing the spread of HIV—and to ensure efforts are sustained in the long term.

In a video message to young delegates, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé said that young people had the power to shape a future with zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. “Each of you is a driving force for change and development in your own countries,” he said. “Together you are an incredible movement that is shaping the future of the world.”

Of the 33.4 million people living with HIV worldwide, some 5 million are young people. An estimated 2500 young people become newly infected with HIV each day. The epidemic has taken a particularly devastating toll on the lives of young women, who account for 66% of infections among youth worldwide.

Empowering young people to protect themselves from HIV represents one of UNAIDS’ ten priority areas, with the overall goal of a 30% reduction in new HIV infections by 2015.

At a joint workshop on HIV and young people, UNAIDS and UNFPA introduced a new “business case” outlining successes to date in the HIV response among youth and areas for improvement. Through the workshop, young delegates were invited to offer their perspectives on the relevance and application of the business case at the national level. Evidence-based information and HIV services, including sexual and reproductive health, were highlighted as critical to reducing infection among young people. Many participants voiced concern over reaching young people with effective HIV prevention messages.

“As we are still young and exploring, we may get into risky behaviors,” said Rodriguez Gastelum, a youth participant from Mexico who attended the workshop. “Correct information on HIV is the first step—that will protect us.”

Less than 40% of young men and women have access to accurate knowledge about HIV transmission—far short of the 95% target set in the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment for the year 2010. In developing countries, excluding China, only 30% of young men and 19% of young women benefit from comprehensive information on HIV.

Despite challenges, there are signs of progress. A new study from UNAIDS has reported a more than 25% drop in HIV prevalence among young people in 15 countries heavily affected by the AIDS epidemic.

“Simply put, young people are leading a prevention revolution all over the globe,” said Dr. César Nunez, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Latin America, in a health-focused session at the conference. “The empowerment of young people has led to changes in sexual behavior. Young people are choosing to have sex later, with fewer partners, and they are using condoms.”

Earlier this month, the UN launched the International Year of Youth, an initiative designed to increase youth participation in global development issues and enhance inter-cultural dialogue and understanding across generations. At a launch event in New York City, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged young people across the world to look beyond the borders of their own countries: “Engage with the world. Become a global citizen,” he said. “We are the leaders of today. You are the leaders of tomorrow.”

The Youth Olympic Games provide an opportunity to highlight the role of young people in promoting HIV prevention. Credit: UNAIDS

AIDS-inspired dance workshops, sports games with an HIV awareness-raising twist and make-your-own plasticine prevention messages were highlight activities coordinated by UNAIDS at the first-ever Youth Olympic Games, as part of the culture and education programme designed to encourage young Olympic athletes to learn more about issues of well-being, healthy lifestyle and social responsibility.

Throughout the proceedings of the Youth Games, held in Singapore from 14 to 26 August, a UNAIDS booth and a series of workshops addressed sexuality and HIV transmission, including myths and misconceptions, through interactive games, peer-to-peer discussion and innovative dance and drama methods.

Hosted in the Olympic village, the activities were accessible to the 3600 participating young athletes aged 14-18 and 1400 team officials. Every day, hundreds of young athletes visited the UNAIDS booth and workshops, with all activities coordinated and delivered by volunteers from UNAIDS event partners Y-PEER from the Philippines, Singapore-based organization BEADS as well as Youth Olympic Games volunteers.

“Despite language barriers, we were able to unite and channel energies of athletes coming from different cultures and backgrounds to talk about HIV and reiterate the need for protection and awareness,” said Y-PEER volunteer Mario Balibago.

While visiting the UNAIDS booth, athletes were encouraged to post updates to the UNAIDS Facebook page. “HIV is a good thing to talk about with the youth and to share… all over the world. Protect yourself and show love for people with HIV,” posted Kernesha Spann, a young 400m runner from Trinidad and Tobago.

The UNAIDS booth also received a number of high-profile visitors including Mr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, and Mr Wilfried Lemke, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Sport and Development, who both commended the use of innovative formats to reach young people with HIV messages through sport.

The partnership with the Youth Olympic Games is geared towards emphasizing UNAIDS’ priority area of empowering young people to protect themselves against HIV and as part of activities in support of the International Year of Youth, which commenced on 12 August. Following the successful interventions in Singapore, UNAIDS will continue to work with the International Olympic Committee to strengthen the partnership, including exploring the development of a cadre of Youth Athlete Champions for HIV.

“Sport is an incredible channel for getting HIV messages out to young people. As well as the athletes, the volunteers working with us at the booth also became hugely sensitized on HIV issues and wanted to spread the word further,” said Dawn Foderingham, Partnerships Advisor at the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific who coordinated UNAIDS’ participation in the Youth Games. “Young people are champions both on and off the field and their leadership on HIV can have critical impact,” she added.

Asia-Pacific Year of Youth launch roundtable panel. Credit: UNAIDS

HIV and sexual and reproductive health has been identified as a central theme for discussion as part of the International Year of Youth, a United Nations (UN)-led initiative launched this month by the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Under the overarching theme of “dialogue and mutual understanding,” the Year of Youth aims to promote peace, respect for human rights and solidarity across generations through activities that highlight issues of increasing importance for youth—including HIV, the environment, hunger and employment. Young people are encouraged to participate in local and global efforts to achieve internationally-agreed targets, such as the Millennium Development Goals.

With young people aged 15-24 accounting for 40% of all new HIV infections, increased youth engagement in the AIDS response is critical. Empowering young people to protect themselves from HIV is one of ten UNAIDS priority areas, with the overall goal of a 30% reduction in new HIV infections by 2015. UNAIDS has committed to achieving three ‘bold results’ in at least nine of the 17 high-burden countries. These include:

• ensuring at least 80% of young people in and out of school have comprehensive knowledge of HIV;
• doubling young people’s use of condoms;
• doubling young people’s use of HIV testing and counselling services.

Youth in Asia-Pacific call for open dialogue on HIV

UNAIDS National Goodwill Ambassador for China, CCTV presenter and moderator of the Asia-Pacific Year of Youth launch James Chau listens to interventions from young people. Credit: UNAIDS

At the Asia-Pacific launch of the Year of Youth in Bangkok, Thailand, young people from across the region underlined limited access to sex education and HIV-related information as key areas of concern. During the launch event—a roundtable dialogue between youth representatives, heads of UN agencies and government officials, moderated by UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for China and television presenter James Chau—young participants highlighted the need for parents and others to “get outside their comfort zones” in order to better reach youth with information on sex and HIV.

“My parents have talked to me openly about sex and HIV for as long as I can remember,” said Benya, a 14-year-old high school student from Bangkok. “I think this helps me make good choices in my life.”

Young participants emphasized that greater access to evidence-based information on HIV and sexual and reproductive health, through both traditional and new media channels, was critical for youth empowerment on HIV-related issues.

Steve Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific, underscored that evidence shows that when young people are given accurate information about sex and HIV, they choose to have sex later, with fewer partners and increased use of condoms.

Steve Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team, underlines that young people are “leading the prevention revolution.” Credit: UNAIDS

“Young people are leading the prevention revolution. Recent data show that HIV prevalence has dropped by 25% among youth in 15 of the highest-burden countries. We have to continue this momentum,” said Mr Kraus. “The International Year of Youth provides a key opportunity for us to massively increase our emphasis on bringing young people to the table and ensuring their voices are heard in the important debates on HIV.”

For the Asia-Pacific region—and across the world—the Year of Youth launches will be followed by a series of targeted activities to showcase youth contributions to development, encourage dialogue and highlight the benefits and significance of youth participation in all aspects of society.

Opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games, Singapore, 14 August 2010. Credit: SPH-SYOGOC/Alphonsus Chern

During the next two weeks, Singapore is making Olympic history by being the host of the first-ever Youth Olympic Games, opening on 14 August 2010.

The Youth Olympic Games, to be held every two years (alternating Summer and Winter), is an international high-level sporting event for young people, which offers a balance of sport, culture and education. The Games were created to educate, engage, and influence young athletes, inspiring them to play an active role in their communities.

Around 370,000 spectators will gather to watch young athletes, aged 14 to 18 from around the world, participate in Singapore 2010. The inaugural games include high-level competition in 26 sports categories and a Cultural and Education Programme focused on a variety of themes including the Olympic values. It will also consist of skills-building sessions for participants, including on HIV.

As young people account for 40% of all new HIV infections globally, placing young people in the driving seat to halt and to begin to reverse the HIV epidemic is crucial.

“Young athletes are role models in their communities. We need to call on these young people to lead the prevention revolution if we are to reach UNAIDS vision of Zero new infections,” said Mr Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, “Sports can be a powerful vehicle to come about change in societies around the world.”

UNAIDS has partnered with the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) in the context of its overall partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in order to provide HIV prevention information and raise awareness about HIV among young people during the two weeks of the Games.

Credit: IOC

“HIV awareness and prevention campaigns are most effective when addressed to the youth” said Mr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee. He added: “Sport is a powerful tool for reaching out to today’s youth on all continents and for educating them early on about healthy and responsible behaviours.”

UNAIDS, together with civil society organizations, will conduct a series of workshops focusing on adolescent sexual and reproductive health as well as stigma surrounding HIV under the educational theme “Well-Being and Healthy Lifestyle.” Workshops will be open to the estimated 3,600 young, athletes and 1,400 officials in the Olympic Village.

The workshops will be run in collaboration with Y-PEER, a youth-to-youth initiative, and BEADS, a Singapore organization. The sessions will use dance and competitive games to address topic such as sexuality and HIV transmission, and addressing myths and misconceptions about HIV.

The content of these interactive sessions has been developed specifically for the Youth Olympic Games to engage athletes. In addition, condoms have been made available for free at the medical clinics.

Sport is recognized as a powerful communication tool and is unique in its ability to unify and galvanize people all over the world. In recognizing the importance of sports for development, the partnership with the Youth Olympic Games is geared towards one of UNAIDS’ ten priority areas namely to empower young people to protect themselves against HIV.

Y-PEER event at AIDS 2010, 23 July 2010. Credit: UNAIDS/Heimo Aga

Harnessing the power of the mass media and new technologies to reach young people with information about HIV and reproductive health was high on the agenda at the XVIII International AIDS conference yesterday during a series of events sponsored by Y-PEER, a youth initiative pioneered by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

According to UNFPA a youth-centred approach, such as Y-PEER, is critical to genuine engagement for change.“If we want to engage young people on health and lifestyle issues that affect them, we need to be where they are, sharing information through platforms they are connecting to every day,” said Purnima Mane, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Programmes).

“Run by youth for youth, Y-Peer continues to grab hold of the latest trends in entertainment and social media through innovative partnerships to promote health and prevent HIV infection.”

In an innovative session, Using Edutainment for Social and Behaviour Change, one of Hollywood’s top writers and producers, Zoanne Clack of the award-winning US series Grey’s Anatomy, joined experts, such as Colin Dixon of Dance4Life, AIDS activists and Y-PEER ambassadors to discuss how HIV is dealt with in the entertainment media.

Y-PEER phone app launched at AIDS2010, 23 July 2010. Credit: UNAIDS/Heimo Aga

Y-PEER is partnering with the Hollywood Health Society (HHS), which was represented by its director, Sandra de Castro Buffington, during the event. HHS, based at the University of Southern California, aims to provide writers and producers with accurate information for health storylines. Y-PEER works with HHS to try to identify similar models that can be easily replicated in other regions with the aim of sensitising the film industry and to encourage featuring HIV in popular programmes.

The session explored how education-entertainment, or ‘edutainment’, can bring issues around sexual and reproductive health, sexuality and HIV alive for a young audience, and how this can contribute to them making informed decisions in this critical area, helping them better protect themselves against the virus and reducing their vulnerability.  Empowering young people to protect themselves from HIV is one of the ten priority areas in the UNAIDS Outcome Framework (2009-11).

Recognising the role that celebrities can play in using their influence to highlight issues and change attitudes, beliefs and behaviour, a number of stars who are also Y-PEER ambassadors attended the session as guest speakers. These included Hollywood resident actor and activist Sammy Sheikh (who appeared in the series ‘24’, United States of Tara and LOST) and singers Daniela Dimitrovska (Macedonia), Lotfi (Tunisia) and Ana Stanic (Serbia).

Last night also saw the launch of Y-PEER knowledge applications for smart phones. Building on the Y-PEER programme, this new ‘app’ is intended to test young people’s skills and knowledge surrounding adolescent sexual and reproductive health. It contains more than 500 questions with four different types of quiz play focussing on eight topics, such as HIV, gender and sexuality and drug use. As well as testing their knowledge, users can learn more about Y-PEER activities and compare their scores with other players. Y-PEER has thousands of members in 48 countries around the globe in a movement which builds capacity and mobilises young people to participate in the national and global response. Members work to highlight issues around sexual and reproductive health and rights, seeking to empower young people, especially the most vulnerable, to make informed choices.

Dr Peter Ghys, Chief of Epidemiology and Analysis Division UNAIDS, presented the findings of the new analysis together with the Vienna Youth Force at the International AIDS Conference. Credit: UNAIDS/Anne Rauchenberger

A change is happening among young people across the world, especially in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Young people are waiting longer to become sexually active, have fewer multiple partners and are increasingly using condoms among those with multiple partners. As a result, HIV prevalence among young people is dropping in many key countries according to a new analysis by UNAIDS.

Dr Peter Ghys, Chief of Epidemiology and Analysis Division UNAIDS, presented these findings together with the Vienna Youth Force today at the International AIDS Conference.

The study shows that HIV prevalence trends in 16 countries is declining among young people aged 15–24, and according to the study declines are largely due to falling new HIV infections among young people. In 15 out of 21 countries most affected by HIV in the world, a decline of 25% has been noted.

According to Dr Ghys, the results show a good concordance between trend in sexual behaviour and trends in HIV prevalence.

“UNAIDS calls on countries to implement comprehensive set of programmes to reduce the risk of young people; and young people themselves can and must be actors in these changes,” said Dr Ghys.

Young people engaged in the AIDS response in countries which are experiencing this decline were invited to comment on the new findings.

Kuena Diaho, the World Young Women’s Christian Association Lesotho, said that programmes targeting young people need to be shaped in a way so that they are not too heavy. “In Lesotho, we do edutainment; HIV prevention activates through poetry and sport.  This way, it’s a little less heavy,” said Diaho.

“We’re a large network of young women’s organizations. We use facebook to share information, and we organize gatherings to talk about sexual and reproductive health education,” said Yvonne Akotho from the Girl scouts in Kenya.

Remmy Shawa, UNAIDS special youth fellow, from Zambia stressed that this new evidence should be used as an advocacy tool to show leaders what happens when young people are placed at the centre of the AIDS response.

Dr Ghys concluded the session noting that these encouraging results are an early return on investments made in HIV prevention. “These investments need to continue and programmes with and for young people need to be scaled up,” said Dr Ghys.

Right for you! satellite. Credit: UNAIDS/Anna Rauchenberger

The thoughts and voices of young people took centre stage at the Vienna AIDS Conference yesterday as an innovative satellite session explored how they can best protect themselves from HIV. The session was organized by UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO. It provided an interactive platform for youth from around the world to discuss sexual and reproductive health services and provision of comprehensive information including sexuality education, condom use and HIV counselling and testing.

Called ‘Right for You! Creating Game Changing Strategies for HIV and Young People’, the event was structured around the outcome of an online survey, promoted across varied social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, AIDSspace and Conversations for a better world, to find out what young people really think about how to mount a meaningful and effective personal challenge to HIV. It was moderated by Ms Purnima Mane, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Deputy Executive Director (Programme).

The session explored how to achieve three bold goals for young people:

• Ensure at least 80% of young people in and out school have comprehensive knowledge of HIV.
• Double young people’s use of condoms during their last sexual intercourse.
• Double young people’s use of HIV testing and counselling services.

‘Empowering Young People to Protect Themselves against HIV’, is one of the priority areas of the UNAIDS Outcome Framework 2009-2011. The aim is to reduce new HIV infections among young people by 30% by 2015.

The three goals discussed in yesterday’s satellite are far-reaching and ambitious in scope. They were highlighted in the UNAIDS business case on empowering young people. The business case is an advocacy tool which outlines  why UNAIDS has prioritized young people and it recommends that the three results should be achieved in at least 9 of the 17 countries that have largest number of young people living with HIV by 2011, as well as in countries experiencing low and concentrated epidemics.

Those gathered at the event discussed how such results can be achieved and how the necessary good quality programmes can be scaled up at country level. An expert panel that included a youth facilitator, Ishita Chaudhry from India, Dr Doug Kirby, co-author of International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education: An evidence informed approach for schools, teachers and health educators, Darlington Muyambwa, Programme Manager, SAYWHAT Programme, Zimbabwe , and Shaffiq Essajee, WHO, responded to feedback from participants who expressed their views or asked questions via the web forums.

Exploring ways of empowering young people to protect themselves against HIV is vitally important given latest estimates showing that 15-24 year olds account for some 40% of all adult HIV infections globally. In 2007, far fewer than half of young people around the world had accurate knowledge about HIV.

Additionally, in many parts of the world young people have inadequate access to sexual and reproductive health services and commodities like condoms. Socio-cultural norms can act as barriers to these essential services and commodities which discourage young people from learning about and discussing sex and sexuality and accessing the services. The session explored ways to address these challenges and empower young people to make informed decisions about this key aspect of their lives.

UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador HRH Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway
Credit: UNAIDS/Anna Rauchenberger

UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador HRH Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway, joined UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and External Relations Branch, Ms Jan Beagle and Dr Julio Montaner, International Chair of the XVIII International AIDS Conference and President of the International AIDS Society in welcoming young participants to the Youth Pavilion at XVIII International AIDS Conference.

UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and External Relations Branch, Ms Jan Beagle
Credit: UNAIDS/Anna Rauchenberger

HRH Mette-Marit, who has made the needs of young people her primary focus as UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador encouraged the young delegates saying, “We need to recognize youth as global citizens instrumental in understanding and driving the change that is needed in the new AIDS response... Make it happen now!”

With a message of support Ms Jan Beagle said, UNAIDS is committed to create a movement of young people as change agents for a new generation of leadership in the AIDS response.

In the coming week a series of Pavilion Talks will take place to enhance cooperation between young people and scientists, activists and other high-level stakeholders.
Credit: UNAIDS/Anna Rauchenberger

“UNAIDS is committed to empower young people, providing them space to inform our policy and programming and to inspire UNAIDS with a youth spirit,” said Ms Beagle.

The Youth Pavilion is an interactive space in the Global Village of AIDS 2010 for young people to showcase projects and performances, and meet delegates, plenary speakers and decision-makers.

The Opening Ceremony was highly interactive and included a flash mob event where young people throughout the Global Village put on YouthForce T-Shirts and moved en masse towards the Youth Pavilion.

The opening was co-chaired by the Youth Programme Working Group Co-Chairs Liping Mian (China) and Korey Anthony Chisholm (Guyana) who talked about the global HIV youth movement and introduced the youth activities during AIDS 2010 including the AIDS 2010 Youth Programme and Vienna YouthForce activities.  

They also introduced the “3 HRs” campaign promote human rights, harm reduction and health resources as a framework to achieve HIV services for young people. By highlighting these “3 HRs” to policy experts and decision-makers in the coming week, young people hope to highlight their needs in the AIDS response.

Pavilion Talks

In the coming week a series of Pavilion Talks will take place to enhance cooperation between young people and scientists, activists and other high-level stakeholders. These will be designed by young people and provide space for questions and discussion. It will be opened each day by a youth rapporteur who will present the highlights of the previous day and give a brief summary of the morning plenary session.

HRH the Crown Princess of Norway and UNAIDS Executive Director Mr Michel Sidibé, Vienna, 17 July 2010. Credit: UNAIDS/Heimo Aga 

Young leaders from around the world joined HRH the Crown Princess of Norway and UNAIDS Executive Director Mr Michel Sidibé and others to exchange experiences on leadership in the AIDS response during a formal and an informal session on 17 July 2010 at AIDS 2010.

Bringing together current leaders with an emerging generation of young leaders, the afternoon sessions were an opportunity to share experiences and exchange ideas on the concept of “new generation leadership” between established and young leaders and identify the potential opportunities.

New Generation Leadership

Based on recommendations of young leaders during the Young Leaders Summit in Oslo, Norway in June 2009, new generation leadership hopes to increase the participation of young people in policy-making and help foster a new generation of leadership.

UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway is committed to supporting the issue of new generation leadership in the AIDS response. Noting the importance of this approach, HRH Mette-Marit said, “In my role with UNAIDS I consider helping to strengthen young leadership to be my most important task.”

“We are at a crossroads and we need young people to be at the forefront of our efforts. Join me to pave the way for new leaders," HRH Princess Mette-Marit added.

HIV Youth Mentorship Hub

The UNAIDS Executive Director, calling for “young leaders of today, not for tomorrow,” also launched the concept of an HIV Youth Mentorship Hub. The Hub is envisaged as a mechanism to strengthen the visibility and effectiveness of youth leadership in the global AIDS response. Through its online community e-platform, AIDSspace, the Joint Programme hopes to provide a structured opportunity to connect established leaders in the HIV response with emerging young leaders. The young leaders and their respective mentors would be able to interact and discuss issues related to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

The HIV Youth Mentorship Hub also aims to make a repository of knowledge and skills in youth leadership available. This will enable young people to shape the implementation of effective HIV programmes and to foster a youth movement to reduce new HIV infection among young people.

Support for youth leadership is a key priority for UNAIDS. According to its Outcome Framework 2010-2011, the Joint Programme strives towards "Empowering young people to protect themselves from HIV" as one of its ten priority areas. The New Generation Leadership programme and HIV Youth Mentorship Hubs are steps in this direction.

As Paddy Masembe, a delegate representing the Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV, pointed out at today’s event, the youth voice is critical, “People say young people are too young to discuss sex, but we are too young to die!”

UNAIDS Executive Director, centre, on stage at the closing of the Youth Pre-Conference.
Credit: UNAIDS/Heimo Aga

UNAIDS Executive Director Mr Michel Sidibé has highlighted how young people are leading the prevention revolution.

Mr Sidibé was speaking at the reception of the closing ceremony of the Youth Pre-Conference which took place 16 July 2010.

Referring to the data that shows that HIV prevalence has dropped 25% among youth in 15 of the highest burden countries, Mr Sidibé noted “young people are leading the prevention revolution… my dear young friends, never forget that your generation is different—and you are making the difference!”

He called for better access to comprehensive information on sex and sexuality  and sexual and reproductive health services; more investment in young people within national development goals to ensure an HIV-free generation and better data disaggregated by age and gender so responses can be tailored.

Mr Sidibé also highlighted the importance of human rights and gender equity saying no one should be ashamed or stigmatised by who they are or who they love.

The three day event for young people attending AIDS 2010 consisted of information sessions and skills-building workshops on HIV issues ranging from scientific knowledge to effective political advocacy. The event which began on 14 July and covered a range of workshops for young delegates to get the most out of the forthcoming XVIII International AIDS conference which begins on 18 July. Delegates had a chance to familiarize themselves with logistics, hone their advocacy and networking skills and attend “share your knowledge” sessions with peers.

Young people are high on the agenda at the forthcoming AIDS 2010.

Call for framework of human rights, harm reduction and health resources

Following a worldwide electronic consultation conducted by the Vienna YouthForce Advocacy Sub-committee, young people will run a campaign at AIDS 2010 to promote human rights, harm reduction and health resources as a framework to achieve HIV services for young people—Now make it happen!.

By highlighting these “3 HRs” to policy experts and decision makers in the coming week they hope to highlight young people’s needs in the AIDS response.

Recent analysis shows that when young people are empowered, they are taking responsibility for their behaviour and making a difference in the AIDS response.

Trends in HIV prevention and young people

Young people have shown that they can be change agents in the prevention revolution. According to UNAIDS Outlook Report published 13 July 2010, HIV prevalence has decreased among young people in more than 16 of the 21 countries most severely affected by the epidemic.

Of these, 12 have seen HIV prevalence among young people drop by more than 25%. Countries include Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Côte d’Ivoire. Young people are leading the revolution by adopting safer behaviours—they are choosing to have sex later, have fewer partners and are using condoms.

UNAIDS has made empowering young people to protect themselves from HIV a priority area. It calls on countries to implement a comprehensive set of programmes that put young people’s leadership at the centre of national responses, and empower young people to prevent sexual and other transmission of HIV infection among their peers.

Youth Pre-Conference

The Youth Pre-Conference was jointly organized by the AIDS 2010 Youth Programme and Vienna YouthForce (VYF), a global platform of international, regional and local youth organizations that focus on HIV as well as on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The event received support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). UNFPA is the UNAIDS Cosponsor which leads on youth and HIV issues. It is committed to promoting meaningful youth participation in international events and has provided considerable support to young people during the previous three international AIDS conferences in Bangkok 2002, Toronto 2006 and Mexico 2008.

The eighteenth International AIDS Conference will begin on Sunday in Vienna. These events, which take place every two years, are the biggest gatherings of scientific, community and government leaders, UN agencies, donors and the general public committed to finding solutions to end the spread of HIV and provide access to services.