UNAIDS and UNICEF Special Representative HRH Princess Mathilde of Belgium. Credit: UNAIDS/Mamadou Gomis

Participants in a series of ICASA sessions on youth leadership and Africa’s AIDS response were in clear and unanimous agreement: young people are vital to preventing new HIV infections and moving towards the goal of an AIDS-free generation.

UNAIDS and UNICEF Special Representative HRH Princess Mathilde of Belgium was one of those who reconfirmed her commitment to youth and HIV issues. Attending ICASA 2008 this week, today she participated in two sessions on heightening the engagement of young Africans’ in the AIDS response.

Princess Mathilde and UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot opened the first session on youth leadership, which was moderated by UNAIDS Special Representative Gaetano Kagwa, a Ugandan national and well-known AIDS advocate. They were joined by representatives of youth non-governmental organizations from Cameroon, Botswana, Senegal, and Zambia.

(from left): HRH Princess Mathilde of Belgium; Dr Pape Salif Sow, Head of the infectious diseases, Fann University teaching hospital, Dakar; Dr Peter Piot UNAIDS Executive Director
Credit: UNAIDS/Mamadou Gomis

Dr Piot introduced Princess Mathilde and commended her for her engagement and activism with AIDS and young people.
During her opening remarks, Princess Mathilde shared three points that can be instrumental in an improved response to AIDS in Africa: young people need to be more engaged and included in HIV programmes; leaders must provide youth with platforms to be heard; and young people themselves have to step forward and serve as examples in their communities and to share knowledge about HIV prevention. Princess Mathilde concluded by calling on girls and young women to be active participants in the AIDS response.

At an afternoon session, “Intergenerational dialogue: Where are the young leaders in the African response to AIDS?” Dr Piot and Princess Mathilde were joined by other leaders and representatives from several African youth organizations.
With a strong presence of young people in the audience, the panellists expressed their optimism for Africa’s next generation but outlined the challenges that lie ahead in terms of confronting the impact of AIDS on young people – one of the groups most affected by HIV.

Throughout the day’s sessions, participants stressed the need to better address HIV and young people given that young people remain at the centre of the AIDS epidemic in terms of increasing rates of infection, vulnerability, impact, and – most importantly – potential for change.

Globally, an estimated 5.5 million of the 33 million living with HIV are young people aged 15-24 years and about 45% of new HIV infections in 2007 were among 15 to 24 year olds.

UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Michel Sidibé (right) welcomed International Cricket Council President David Morgan to UNAIDS to discuss their continued partnership on AIDS. Geneva, 17 November 2008. Credit: UNAIDS/D. Bregnard

The President of the International Cricket Council (ICC), David Morgan, today visited the UNAIDS Secretariat in Geneva where he was welcomed by UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Michel Sidibé.

In a meeting with UNAIDS and UNICEF staff the ICC President reaffirmed the Cricket Council’s commitment to the partnership which began in September 2003 when UNAIDS and ICC first teamed up to bring messages of HIV prevention to young people across cricket playing nations. In 2006 UNICEF also joined the partnership which now also supports the “Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS” campaign.

Michel Sidibé reviewed the global successes in the short history of this partnership where through high-profile international events as well as local initiatives, players as well as coaches have spread messages to dispel stigma and misplaced fear and misunderstanding about HIV. He also spoke about the importance of HIV prevention and support services reaching young people.

“We must focus on supporting and working alongside a new generation of young leaders in the AIDS response, including those living with HIV. The work of this partnership can be instrumental in this,” noted Mr Sidibé.

“I would especially like to congratulate the ICC leadership on its commitment to this work and personally thank you for your visit to UNAIDS today.”

A series of Public Service Announcements on HIV have been recorded by leading stars such as Graeme Smith, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahendra Singh Dhoni for use in stadia at ICC Events and by broadcasters. Activities have taken place at international events including the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 2007. This has included leading players visiting local community projects and wearing red ribbons to show their support for people living with HIV.

A “Cricket HIV and AIDS curriculum” has been developed by the ICC and UNAIDS for players and coaches to help inform young people about HIV and how they can use their influence to make a positive change in their communities. Under the programme “The Captain’s Pledge,” Captains of all Test Cricket playing nations took part in a series of initiatives to help young people understand how HIV is transmitted.

Spirit of Cricket

An interactive discussion on strategic planning for the coming years was led by UNICEF Partnerships Manager, Andres Guerrero.

At the meeting, UNAIDS Youth Intern Korey Chisholm spoke of how sport can be a force for change through breaking down age barriers and building self-esteem. He thanked the ICC for replacing stigma with support. UNAIDS Intern Shashank Mane, from India, also shared his thoughts on the partnership:

“Looking at the influence of cricket in my life, I feel that UNAIDS and the ICC have a lot to offer each other, as well as the world, when it comes to connecting young people through sports with AIDS awareness.”

“The influence of cricket is growing around the world; unfortunately, AIDS continues to be transmitted as well. I could not think of a better way to spread HIV prevention messages and to eradicate HIV-related stigma and discrimination than through a partnership such as this one.”

With an estimated 700,000 people living
with HIV China’s HIV prevalence remains low
– estimated at less than 0.1 per cent of the
total population – but the epidemic
continues to grow in all parts of the country.
Credit: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
License - Hao Wei

With an estimated 700,000 people living with HIV China’s HIV prevalence remains low – estimated at less than 0.1 per cent of the total population – but the epidemic continues to grow in all parts of the country. Most of the new HIV infections are related to sexual transmission and injecting drug use.

The AIDS epidemic remains a formidable challenge and several factors in China are fuelling it, including shame, fear, stigma and discrimination associated with AIDS, low awareness of HIV, rural poverty, high mobility of workers, availability and affordability of commercial sex, and injecting drug use.

There is no doubt that China has dramatically improved its AIDS response in recent years and its government has demonstrated real political leadership and commitment to effectively tackle the epidemic. This commitment has been translated into new laws, policies, growing HIV prevention efforts and increased access to treatment. The challenge for Chinese society now is to move from the excellent policies developed centrally to reach out to people in the provinces and communities with the services they need.

HIV prevention

HIV prevention remains a top priority for
China’s AIDS response. More than 30 million
people are estimated to be practicing risky
sexual and drug use behaviour.

HIV prevention remains a top priority for China’s AIDS response. More than 30 million people are estimated to be practicing risky sexual and drug use behaviour. These include injecting drug users (IDUs), men who have sex with men, sex workers and their clients. For that reason, there has been an increase in programmes targeting those at higher risk, such as a methadone treatment for drug users, condom promotion among sex workers and clients as well as among men who have sex with men.

There have been improvements in HIV prevention programmes even though a full implementation of combination prevention is yet to be achieved. For example, methadone maintenance treatment, clean needles and syringe exchange for drug users has been introduced with the aim of establishing a total of 1500 methadone maintenance treatment clinics by the end of this year. These clinics represent an important milestone towards the implementation of a much needed comprehensive prevention approach for IDUs including needle exchange programmes and condom provision as well as treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Treatment

HIV treatment, care and support has improved significantly over the last five years. Antiretroviral drugs are supplied to more than 34,600 individuals as part of the “Four Frees and One Care Policy”. This is a major improvement considering that in 2003 there were 5,000 people on treatment. The increased access to treatment has also contributed to the implementation of pilot studies for the introduction of second line antiretroviral (ARV) drugs at the national level, with particular attention to availability of these drugs and monitoring of adherence.

Stigma and discrimination

Stigma and discrimination continue to be
areas of concern both within the health care
setting and with the population at large.

Stigma and discrimination continue to be areas of concern both within the health care setting and with the population at large. A recent survey supported by UNAIDS and carried out in six major cities of China revealed that 41% would be unwilling to work in the same place with people living with HIV (PLHIV), 26% would not shake hands and 49% thought that they could get HIV through a mosquito bite.

In an attempt to address the situation, the banning of discrimination of people living with HIV has been outlined in the Law of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control and the 2006 Decree on AIDS.

Civil society

Civil society in China is still finding its feet. UNAIDS is investing significant resources in trying to bring together a diverse set of organizations and networks to get a stronger and more coherent contribution from civil society organizations as working with community groups can greatly increase the impact – and cost effectiveness – of AIDS strategies.

China has demonstrated a commendable leadership and commitment towards an effective AIDS response. The National five year plan to control AIDS (2006-2010) is currently being implemented and the coverage, quality and comprehensiveness of its implementation along with meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, will be the key to achieving the target of keeping HIV infected people below 1.5 million in 2010.

The MTV Staying Alive Foundation invites grant applications from youth-led organizations and young people who are working on HIV prevention and AIDS education campaigns within their communities

The MTV Staying Alive Foundation invites grant applications from youth-led organizations and young people (aged between 15-27 years) who are working on HIV prevention and AIDS education campaigns within their communities.

The deadline for December 2008 proposals is the 15th September 2008, and successful applicants will be announced on World AIDS Day, 1 December 2008. Young people, 15–24 years of age, accounted for around 45% of all new HIV infections in 2007 and many young people lack accurate, complete information on how to avoid exposure to the virus. The Staying Alive Foundation (SAF) believes that the information geared towards young people is one of the keys to helping prevent HIV infection and that young people can bring about positive social change around HIV prevention, if given the opportunity.

A Staying Alive Award comes with a financial grant up to US$ 12,000, Staying Alive materials (including MTV Staying Alive programming and teaching kits), a small fund to buy technical media equipment, a local mentor and a personal grant manager.

About Staying Alive

In 1998, MTV launched the Staying Alive campaign, a multimedia global HIV prevention campaign to challenge AIDS-related stigma. UNAIDS has partnered with MTV, providing funding and technical assistance on key AIDS issues.

Following the success of the campaign, the Staying Alive Foundation (SAF) was set up in 2005 to support young people around the world who are working in AIDS awareness, education and prevention campaigns among their peers. To date they have given 100 grants to 81 projects across the globe.

If you have any further questions then email at foundation@staying-alive.org  

Credit: UNAIDS/agencialibrefoto

At the conclusion of the 1st Meeting of Ministers of Education and Health to prevent HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean, Ministers of Education and Health have signed an historic declaration pledging to provide comprehensive sex education as part of the school curriculum in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ministerial Declaration

The Ministers committed to promoting concrete actions for HIV prevention among young people in their countries by implementing sex education and sexual health promotion programmes.

The sex education programmes will cover a broad range of topics including biological information, social and cultural information with discussion on gender, diversity of sexual orientation and identity along with ethics and human rights.

The Declaration also recognized the responsibility of the State to promote human development, including education and health, as well as to combat discrimination.

Promoting sexual health to impact HIV prevention

The meeting took place on 1 August 2008 and was co-hosted by Dr. José Ángel Córdova Villalobos (MÉxico), Minister of Health and Lic. Josefina Vázquez Mota (Mexico), Minister of Public Education in collaboration with Canciller Patricia Espinosa Cantellano (MÉxico), Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Credit: UNAIDS/agencialibrefoto

UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot and UNFPA Executive Director, Dr Thoraya Ahmed Obaid delivered an address on HIV prevention on behalf of the UN System.

The Ministerial meeting was preceded by a technical meeting held on 31 July. Advisors to the Ministers of Health and Education, technical experts from UN agencies, academics and civil society representatives discussed a broad range of issues around comprehensive sexuality education and HIV prevention.

Discussions took place in three regional working groups and included analysis of the barriers to strengthening sexuality education and sexual health promotion programmes and how to enhance collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Education.

With the up-coming AIDS 2008 in Mexico,
YouthForce has a chance to empower more
young people, advocate for critical issues
affecting youth worldwide, and further
pinpoint strategies for effective change.

It is often said that young people are the future, however they are also very much the present. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that today’s generation of young people is the largest youth cohort in history. Nearly half of the world’s population is under the age of 25, 85% of which live in developing countries.

Today’s youth are one of the most socially conscious and active segments of the population. Nowhere will this be more apparent than at the up-coming XVII Mexico City International AIDS Conference. As the largest international gathering on a health-related issue, the biennial conference has always served as a landmark event for the AIDS community.

Since the Barcelona AIDS Conference in 2000, YouthForce, a coalition of youth and youth-serving organizations, have been coming together to ensure that youth issues and youth participation are well represented at the event.

AIDS 2008

With the up-coming AIDS 2008 in Mexico, YouthForce has a chance to empower more young people, advocate for critical issues affecting youth worldwide, and further pinpoint strategies for effective change. Since January 2008, several different YouthForce sub-committees have been busy working on the various activities and initiatives planned for Mexico City. YouthForce key activities include the Youth Pre-Conference and Youth Pavilion.

In order to promote and strengthen young delegates' meaningful participation in the 2008 conference, the Mexico YouthForce is coordinating a three day pre-conference event, from 31 July-2 August for approximately 250 young HIV activists.

The Youth Pavilion will not only provide a space for young people to showcase their work on HIV issues, but will also support youth delegates at the conference. All young people attending the conference are invited to join the YouthForce activities.

For young people who are unable to attend the conferences there are also ways to get involved. To find out more about these opportunities visit AIDS 2008 Youth site (on english and spanish languages)

YouthForce

In addition to working on ensuring youth participation and effective programming at the International AIDS Conferences, the YouthForce helps young leaders advocate on issues relevant to them such as the rights of young people living with HIV and the criminalization of young sex workers and injecting drug users.

“The YouthForce is a wonderful example of groups from all over the world who work on HIV and sexual reproductive health issues coming together to create meaningful opportunities for young people to take action in their countries and communities,” said Joya Banerjee, Programme Coordinator and Cofounder of the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS.

“Through the YouthForce, young leaders are trained, they have an opportunity to network with each other, and learn how to create and run programmes and policies,” she added.

UNAIDS Special Representative Michael
Ballack participated in the “Goal4Africa”
all-star benefit football match Munich on
12 July to raise funds for education in Africa
Credit: Goal4Africa

UNAIDS Special Representative Michael Ballack participated in the Goal4Africa all-star benefit football match held at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany on 12 July in honour of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday. The event was lead by Goal4Africa Ambassador and international football star Clarence Seedorf and broadcast live in many countries worldwide.

Speaking at a press conference before the match, Ballack highlighted how educating young people about HIV prevention is crucial in the AIDS response.

Spectators, fans and television viewers
made donations for each goal scored by
their favourite player via SMS text message
and online on the Goal4Africa web site.
Credit: Goal4Africa

Ballack was team captain of the winning side in an all-star international game which included some of the world’s best football players including Zé Roberto, Gennaro Gattuso and Andriy Shevchenko and Formula1 legend Michael Schumacher.

Spectators, fans and television viewers made donations for each goal scored by their favourite player via SMS text message and online on the Goal4Africa web site. Funds raised will go to education projects in Africa

Michael Ballack, as UNAIDS Special Representative, reaches out to young people by educating on HIV and urging young people to make smart prevention choices.

A teenage girl and a young woman sit
together exploring the internet at the HIV
Shelter, “Guli Surkh”.
Credit: Warrick Page/PANO/UNFPA

The United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) is supporting a unique set of media and training interventions in Tajikistan designed to raise awareness, reduce stigma and provide adolescents with the tools to improve their reproductive and sexual health.

Vulnerable youth

It is early morning at Dushanbe’s school number one. Sunlight is streaming through the dusty windows and the hallways are filled with a polyphony of young voices on their way to class.

Once they are settled in their seats, instructor Ferozia Nabieva, an obstetrician-gynaecologist, introduces the class and then launches into a lively discussion about reproductive health, contraception and HIV. Mindful of the strangers in their midst, the students are shy at first. But one by one the hands reach tentatively upward to an accompaniment of barely stifled giggles.

This grade nine class is mixed girls and boys, but others are segregated by gender. Privacy and comfort are critical when it comes to reaching out to young people, says Dr Nabieva. “In these classes they can share their concerns and get answers. Anywhere else they might experience shame, which is why we work with trainers who are also young and whom they trust.”

Some of the younger male trainers work primarily with boys and young men. Should students require more in-depth counselling, they are referred to the Dushanbe Reproductive Health Centre where a youth-friendly clinic deals solely with their young constituents.

UNFPA is negotiating with Ministry of Education to bring sexual and reproductive health programming into the classroom. The reasons behind this are mostly demographic. By 2015, 50% more young people will be attending the country’s schools. Informing young people of their reproductive health and rights – including the right to contraceptives – encourages responsibility and safer sexual behaviours that will decrease the risk of HIV infection.

Reaching out through radio and TV

A TV monitor shows filming of "Healthy
Generation"; a weekly-broadcast, youth-
issues based TV show.
Credit: Warrick Page/PANO/UNFPA

In-school programmes can go only so far given the remote locations of many Tajik communities and the fact that so many lack access to electricity, school and services during the long, snowy winter months. To that end, UNFPA is also piloting a series of radio and TV shows that specifically focus on youth, reproductive health and HIV.

Boimorod Bobodjanov is the 31-year-old UNFPA youth projects manager. It was under his auspices that the organization began a series of TV pilots specifically for and about youth. After much cajoling, financial brinkmanship and concerted wooing aimed at the right quarters, UNFPA was able to secure four slots per month for a talk show about sexual and reproductive health that involves youth.

So successful is the show -- dubbed Safina -- that it will soon be on the popular seven o’clock Friday evening time slot.

The end result? A slick one-hour talk show that challenges traditional Tajik ways of perceiving issues such as gender rights and reproductive health, while maintaining respect for customs such as respect for elders and concern for the community. In order to get the show rolling, Mr. Bobodjanov had to act as fundraiser, producer, art director and writer. Although the government was initially opposed to the plan, the show has been airing for an entire year and the ratings are favourable. Today, the MTV-supported show is being branded under the umbrella of Y-PEER, a network of youth peer educators pioneered by UNFPA in 2000.

The hostess, 26-year-old Sitora Ashurova, is a former Y-PEER counsellor, who recalls with pleasure the very first time a person living with HIV spoke publicly about his status on national TV. “It was pretty special,” she says. “It was the first time the average Tajik could see that a person living with HIV could be anyone.”

Although programmers still have to skirt around specific terms such as condoms (referring to condoms as ‘protection’), Mr. Bobodjanov looks forward to the day when discussions will become even more open and that young people all over the country will know how to avoid HIV, where to get treatment if they do acquire it and that those living with the virus should be treated with the respect that they would accord any other person.

Because 42% of young people surveyed say they receive most of their information about HIV from TV, projects like Safina are a critical tool not only in the response to the disease itself, but the stigma that surrounds it.

Fun and games during HIV training at
Beijing Modern Vocational and Technical
College. Photo credit: UNAIDS

It is early Sunday morning but the auditorium at Beijing Modern Vocational and Technical College is already full. Several hundred Olympic volunteers are chatting; waiting for the day’s training to start. The local representative of Beijing Youth League opens the workshop energetically with a clapping exercise. This course is very different to what students normally experience at this academic institution. Laughing and playing along the way, the students are learning about AIDS through a variety of games, presentations, quizzes and interactive question and answer sessions.

Countering discrimination

At the closing session, trainer Yu Xuan takes centre stage and asks the students what they think the probability is of them meeting a person living with HIV. The students say that they think that the probability of this is very low. “Well, you are in luck today,” Yu Xuan says. “I am HIV positive!” Most have never met an HIV positive person before and find it hard to believe that this young, handsome and energetic trainer is HIV positive. Immediately they recognize that they had false ideas and preconceptions about people living with HIV.

“When I was tested as HIV positive, I thought my life would end very soon. With the help and referral by local health services, I participated in activities organized by local HIV volunteers where I learned more about HIV, and got to know new friends,” Yu Xuan tells the volunteers. “I became aware that I could help others by sharing my knowledge, dispelling the myths about HIV, and communicate with the public as an HIV positive speaker.”

HIV is a reality rather than a distant possibility

The facilitator living with HIV, who are part of the team training Olympic volunteers, has been trained though a project called “Positive Talks”. This project is implemented by Marie Stopes International and supported by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The contribution of people living with HIV in China’s HIV prevention efforts is extremely valuable as they put a human face to the AIDS epidemic, which helps to reduce the discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV. They reinforce HIV prevention messages and make an impact on audiences by presenting HIV as a reality rather than a distant possibility.

“Many young people do not have the right information on AIDS, fuelling false fears, stigma and discrimination. This is bad in itself, but also hampers HIV prevention work,” said Bernhard Schwartländer, the UNAIDS Country Coordinator in China.

“Engaging some of China’s most capable young people and making them the messengers of positive and correct knowledge on HIV can help dispel inaccurate myths and break down the stigma and discrimination against people affected by HIV,” he said.

7,500 volunteers trained at 13 different universities

UNAIDS staff at the Beijing Modern
Vocational and Technical College training
young Olympic Volunteers.
Photo credit: UNAIDS

The training course is part of the volunteers’ preparation for service during the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. Around 7,500 volunteers will have participated in the course in 13 different universities, while 100,000 volunteers will receive a basic information package on HIV. The training is a unique opportunity to equip Chinese youth with important knowledge and skills on HIV prevention and how to counter discrimination.

“We hope that through this training, Olympics volunteers, as ambassadors for Beijing citizens, will be better prepared to inclusively welcome all groups of people to Beijing during the Games, especially those living with HIV. It is our hope that Olympic volunteers will share this knowledge and look for opportunities to continue volunteering on important health and development issues such as raising awareness of HIV,” said UNDP Country Director Subinay Nandy.

Joint UN effort

The Olympic volunteer training programme is being convened by UNAIDS and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and implemented in collaboration with the United Nations system in China, Beijing Youth League, Red Cross Society of China, Marie Stopes International (MSI) China.

The training teams include HIV experts from eight UN agencies: ILO, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNODC, WHO and UNIFEM. The project, co-funded by UNAIDS, UNDP and UNV, is one of several initiatives between UNDP, UNV, the Beijing Youth League and other local partners within a partnership project aimed at strengthening volunteerism for development in China through the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games.

UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot
addressed the opening plenary of the
Second Eastern European and Central
Asian AIDS Conference. 3-5 May 2008
Moscow, Russia.

The Second Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference concluded on May 5 after three-days of dialogue centred on better responding to the region’s HIV epidemic.

Hundreds of participants from across the region as well as representatives from the UN and other international organizations gathered in Moscow to share ideas and map-out action on the challenges facing it.

The region is home to one of the world’s fastest growing HIV epidemics; in 2007, some 1.6 million people in the region were living with HIV, a 150% increase since 2001

Representing UNAIDS, Executive Director Dr Peter Piot addressed the opening plenary together with Dr Gennadiy G. Onischenko, Head of the Russian Federation’s federal health division, Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of The Global Fund, and Craig McClure, Executive Director of the International AIDS Society.

A hallmark of the conference was its bringing together of crucial voices in the region’s AIDS response, from scientists and politicians to civil society groups and representatives of people living with HIV.

In addition to a diverse programme of sessions focused on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support initiatives, space was dedicated to encourage informal and open dialogue on some of the issues central to understanding the region’s epidemic.

UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Piot met
with youth leaders, representatives from
local communities and other peers
committed to supporting Eastern Europe
and Central Asia in moving its AIDS
response forward.

Two spaces for such interactions were ‘Besedka’, a community dialogue space for people living with HIV organized by The Global Fund, UNAIDS and the Eastern European and Central Asian Union of people living with HIV Organizations; and Youth Village, sponsored by UNAIDS, the UN Population Fund and the Youth Peer Education Network.

UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Piot met with youth leaders, representatives from local communities and other peers committed to supporting Eastern Europe and Central Asia in moving its AIDS response forward.

The May 3-5 conference was the second for the region, with the first held in 2006, and the largest AIDS-focused conference to date in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.