Cricketing stars from the South Africa team, including JP Duminy (third from right), join ‘Think Wise’ campaign volunteers at an a HIV-awareness raising event in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Credit: UNICEF Sri Lanka

World cricket players have united in a call to young fans to ‘get the facts’ about HIV prevention and to help eliminate AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. The call is part of a United Nations and International Cricket Council (ICC) HIV awareness-raising campaign taking place alongside the ICC World Twenty20 (WT20) tournament in Sri Lanka, which runs until 7 October.

Rallying support for the campaign known as ‘Think Wise’—an initiative of the ICC, UNAIDS and UNICEF— players from the South African Cricket team interacted with young people living with and affected by HIV in Colombo on 26 September.

“It is very important to create awareness on HIV—not only for our generation but also for the generation to come,” said South African player JP Duminy. “HIV is an issue for South Africa and the whole world and sport is one of the things that can bring nations together on important issues,” he added.

JP Duminy and his team-mates gave the youth attending the event tips on how to improve their batting, bowling and fielding skills during a specialized coaching session. At the same time, they spoke openly about HIV with the youth participants, stressing the importance of young people being informed, staying protected and eliminating harmful stigma and discrimination against people living with and affected by HIV.

A similar interaction session was held earlier in the WT20 tournament between players of the West Indies cricket team and children living with HIV. “This is definitely a great initiative and it’s important that young people are educated on the methods of protecting themselves from HIV,” said Trinidadian leg spin bowler Samuel Badree.

Commending the players’ commitment to raising awareness on HIV, Steven Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific said: “We are all striving for the vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. Cricket and cricketing stars have the power to unite and reach beyond national boundaries, driving efforts towards ‘getting to zero’ and ending AIDS.”

Outrunning AIDS: towards an AIDS-free generation

Young people taking part in the ‘Think Wise’ activities emphasized the benefit of such events. “It was great to have the opportunity to play cricket with the teams and it was very important because of the reach that the campaign is having with the public—great opportunities for many important conversations,” a young participant said.

Players from the West Indies Cricket Team interacting with ‘Think Wise’ volunteers, children living with HIV and their families as part of the ‘Think Wise’ campaign.
Credit: UNICEF Sri Lanka

More than 40% of the new HIV infections globally are being reported among 15-24 year olds, which means that 3000 young people are being newly infected with the virus every day. Stigma against people living with HIV and people from communities at higher risk is still widespread across many cricket playing countries.

“Stigma and discrimination undermine our vision of an AIDS-free generation. This can be realized only if we all respect the rights of those living with or affected by HIV," said Rachel Odede, HIV Advisor in the UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia, underlining the importance of this Think Wise theme.

For almost a decade, and with the help of ‘Think Wise’ Champions including Virender Sehwag (India), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies) among others, the ICC/UNAIDS/UNICEF ‘Think Wise’ campaign has used the power of cricket to help address key issues around AIDS, particularly for young people across the major cricket-playing countries.

“Through cricket we can reach millions of people and the message is clear: Let’s talk more about HIV, let’s get informed. We know that stigma kills. Let’s ‘Think Wise’, don’t stigmatize,” said Indian batsman and ‘Think Wise’ Champion Virender Sehwag during the WT20 tournament.

ICC CEO David Richardson added: “The profile and reach of the ICC World T20 gives us an opportunity to raise awareness and reduce stigma about HIV and, along with the players, we are delighted to help this cause.”

For the duration of the WT20, a public service announcement featuring Kumar Sangakkara and Virender Sehwag will be screened at all tournament matches. Players from the teams taking part in the men’s and women’s semi-finals will wear red ribbons as a sign of solidarity for people living with HIV and umpires and referees will also sport the ‘Think Wise’ logo on their shirt sleeves.

The “Let’s Talk” Think Wise roadshow, supported by UNAIDS, ready to leave Colombo with its youth volunteers.
Credit: P. Deshapriya

A bus embossed with HIV messages, red ribbons and the faces of world cricketing stars is making a whistle stop tour through more than a hundred sites in Sri Lanka. Carrying young volunteers, the bus is part of the HIV awareness-raising campaign “Let’s talk” taking place around the world Twenty20 cricket tournament that runs from 18 September to 7 October in Sri Lanka.

An integral part of the joint UNAIDS, UNICEF and the International Cricket Council (ICC) partnership known as ‘Think Wise’, the bus has been on the road since late August. Using the power of cricket it aims to reach out to thousands of young people in Sri Lanka providing them with HIV information as well as inviting them to talk about AIDS.

Serving as the face of the roadshow, Sri Lankan cricketing hero and ‘Think Wise’ Champion Kumar Sangakkara’s message is featured on the side of the bus: “When you know the facts, you know what to do. Get the facts. Protect yourself against HIV”.

As the bus pulls up at one of the designated stops, the vibrant young volunteers greet locals with music, dance and organize activities including street cricket and an HIV quiz. With tickets to the Twenty20 final as the prize, the quiz along with the other activities is intended to help promote key HIV prevention and anti-discrimination messages.

“Education programmes through entertainment are really needed as they reach out to young people, especially those most at risk,” says ‘Think Wise’ roadshow volunteer Paba Deshapriya as she invites young people attending to sign on a giant wicket in support for the Sri Lankan team at the Twenty20 tournament. At the same time, she presents them with red ribbons and information about HIV services they can access in their area.

“The roadshow interactions are clearly showing that public knowledge of HIV is still extremely low—which means the bus and the AIDS response in Sri Lanka still have a long journey,” said roadshow team leader Mr Hans Billimoria.

Under the broader umbrella of the ‘Think Wise’ campaign, the bus roadshow is the result of a diverse national partnership in Sri Lanka that includes UNAIDS, UNICEF, Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka, the National STI/AIDS Control Programme, the National Youth Council, the community organization Grassrooted and local youth organizations. The initiative aims to not only give clear and up to date information on HIV, dispel AIDS-related myths and challenge social stigma against people living with HIV but also to link people with local HIV services including HIV testing and counseling, treatment and support.

Despite a relatively low HIV prevalence in the country (less than 0.1%), stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and key affected communities is high and presents a major barrier to the HIV response. National surveys suggest that many people at higher risk of infection delay testing themselves for HIV and coming forward for treatment because they are concerned by the implications of testing HIV-positive and the confidentiality of their HIV status.

At the Think Wise roadshow, participants ‘sign the wickets’ in support of the Sri Lankan cricketing team’s performance in the World Twenty20 tournament and to show their solidarity for people living with HIV.
Credit: P. Deshapriya

Dr Nimal Edirisinghe Director of the Sri Lankan national STI and AIDS Control Programme said, “This is an ideal opportunity as the campaign actively links young people to HIV prevention and treatment services.”

According to the UNAIDS Country Coordinator for Sri Lanka Mr David Bridger an AIDS-free generation is within our reach. “That’s why through the ‘Think Wise’ campaign we say: ‘Let’s talk – Get the Facts – Protect yourself’ encouraging open dialogue on sex, sexual diversity, risks and HIV prevention methods,” he said.

As the bus continues its journey through Sri Lanka, additional HIV activities related to the ‘Think Wise’ campaign will take place during the Twenty20 tournament. These include screenings of a public service announcement at every match, the wearing of red ribbons by players in the semifinals and interaction events between cricket players from the West Indies and South Africa teams and young people.

A new progress report released by UNICEF titled "Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed" is showing a sharp drop in the estimated number of deaths among children under the age of five worldwide. This number fell from nearly 12 million in 1990 to an estimated 6.9 million in 2011.

Releasing the report, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said, “The global decline in under-five mortality is a significant success that is a testament to the work and dedication of many, including governments, donors, agencies and families.”

The report combines mortality estimates with insights into the top killers of children under five and the high-impact strategies that are needed to accelerate progress.

An estimated 3.4 million children under 15 years old were living with HIV in 2011, 91% of them in sub-Saharan Africa. In the same year, about 230,000 died of AIDS-related causes. According to the report, access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) was still low in most countries, with only about 28% of children who needed treatment receiving it in 2011, in contrast to the 57% coverage among adults. However, the report was optimistic about progress being made especially in extending antiretroviral medicines to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.

In high-income countries, access to PMTCT services has cut rates of trans­mission to about 2%. In low- and middle-income countries however, 57% of an estimated 1.5 million pregnant women living with HIV in 2011 received antiretroviral therapy to prevent HIV transmission to their babies. Nonetheless the report notes that progress is being made in nearly every country.

There is growing momentum behind a concerted scale-up of coverage of PMTCT and paediatric HIV care and treatment services. This success follows the launch in June 2011 of the “Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections in children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive”.

There are also new and emerging technologies which improve diagnosis and treatment of infants and young children. However, the report recommends a simplification of treatment regimens and medicines, as well as programmatic innovations for identifying children living with HIV and retaining them on antiretroviral therapy.

During the launch, Mr Lake also talked about "unfinished business", saying, "Millions of children under five are still dying each year from largely preventable causes for which there are proven, affordable interventions.”

Greater efforts are particularly required in populous countries with high mortality, the report says. In addition to medical and nutritional factors, improvements in other areas including education, access to clean water and sanitation, adequate food, child protection and women’s empowerment will also improve prospects for child survival and development.

A version of this story was first published at www.unicef.org

Young audiences in six African countries will be able to share the experiences of a vivid cast of characters in a dramatic new radio show: Shuga: Love, Sex, Money. The programme hit the airwaves on 27 June in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa and Tanzania across 65 stations. 

During 12 eight-minute episodes, the show provides a view in the lives of a group of four fictional characters aged 15 to 24.  The series tells the story of their dreams, friendships, challenges and triumphs in a world with HIV.

Shuga Radio has been developed from the award-winning original TV version and is supported by UNICEF, MTV Staying Alive Foundation and the PEPFAR Partnership for an HIV Free Generation. They are working in collaboration with young people and representatives from government and partners in participating countries to reach an estimated listenership of 45 million in the region. 

The radio show’s storyline examines a similar range of themes to those in the TV drama including; HIV counselling and testing, condom use in stable relationships, positive prevention, gender inequality and sexual violence, transactional sex, alcohol abuse and the role of multiple concurrent partnerships in the HIV epidemic.

Exploring such issues is crucial, given the vulnerability of young people to HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, which has one of the highest rates of infection in the world. In addition, most youths living with the virus do not know their status. 

“Every day there are more than 2 500 new HIV infections in young people across the world, four out of 10 are in sub-Saharan Africa and the vast majority of these are young women and adolescent girls,” said Geeta Rao Gupta, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director.  “Shuga, an initiative that combines media with a partnership for service delivery, is an example of how to work with partners and young people to reach key audiences and maximize the return on investments for HIV prevention.”

The 12 episodes will be followed by two 25-minute pre-recorded magazine shows which further examine the topics covered with young people, experts from the focused countries and global and national cooperating partners.

Content and storyline for Shuga Radio were written and created by 30 young people from the six countries in a special workshop hosted by Question Media Group with support from MTV and UNICEF.

Among the characters whose moving stories will be told in the show are Sofia,19; her sweetheart Fally, 20; her cousin Amina,17; smooth-talking risk-taker Karis, 20, and a successful business woman and ‘sugar mummy’ Riziki.

“We are delighted to expand the scope and impact of the Shuga TV series by moving the concept into the radio medium where it will reach millions of listeners on youth, student and community stations who may not have had access to the TV series,” said Georgia Arnold, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation.

Available in English, French and Swahili, Shuga Radio will air three times a week for 12 weeks.

The partners behind the project hope that it will emulate the success of the first two series of Shuga broadcast on television in 2009 and 2012. The first reached viewers in more than 48 sub-Saharan African countries and in over 70 nations worldwide.

Research conducted by Johns Hopkins University/Centre for Communications Programmes in Kenya following the airing of Shuga (series I) reported a number of positive outcomes. These included increased intention to go for HIV testing and decreased intention to have multiple sex partners, improved attitudes towards people living with HIV and increased usage of accessible health and social services among youth who had watched the series. 

The UN delegation visited Cama Hospital and the Sir J.J. Hospital—two leading health facilities in the Indian state of Maharashtra that provide health services for pregnant women and children.

On 28 April, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led a high-level mission to Mumbai, India in support of the Every Woman Every Child initiative. During the visit, the Secretary-General commended Indian officials for the progress made in the AIDS response. Mr Ban also encouraged the Government of India to continue efforts to eliminate new paediatric HIV infections by 2015—one of the objectives of the Secretary-General’s five-year action plan.

The Every Woman Every Child initiative is a global effort that was launched in 2010 by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to mobilize and intensify global action to save the lives of 16 million women and children and improve the lives of millions more.

Mr Ban was joined by senior UN health officials including the Director-General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan, the Executive Director of the UN Population Fund Babatunde Osotimehin, the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Michel Sidibé, the Deputy Executive Director from the UN Children's Fund, Geeta Rao Gupta and the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Malaria Ray Chambers.

During the visit the Secretary-General, Mrs Ban and his delegation visited Cama Hospital and the Sir J.J. Hospital—two leading health facilities in the Indian state of Maharashtra that provide health services for pregnant women and children.

Mr Ban’s mission concluded with a high level reception hosted by Millennium Development Goals advocates Mukesh Ambani and Ray Chambers, which featured interaction with some of India’s leading AIDS activists, people living with HIV, business and government officials as well as film stars and sports legends. During the reception the Mr Ban announced the appointment of Mr Prasada Rao as his new Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region.

L to R: Millennium Development Goals advocate Mukesh Ambani, Kausalya from Positive women network (PWN+), UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, Daksha Patel from Gujarat Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé travelled to India’s capital New Delhi where he met with the Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad. During their meeting, Mr Sidibé commended India for its new National AIDS Control Programme (NACP-IV) which was developed by national experts and will be funded primarily from domestic sources.

Mr Sidibé paid special attention to India’s role and contribution as a priority country in the implementation of the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive. It is expected that the national recommendations on the elimination of new HIV infections among children in India will phase-out of single dose nevirapine in the coming months. Mr Sidibé had the opportunity to see first-hand  how services to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission are being scaled-up at the Ambedkar Hospital, one of Delhi’s largest hospitals.

A high level round table organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and UNAIDS brought together more than 50 participants including leading representatives from the Indian pharmaceutical industry and the government under the theme “India’s partnership with Africa in pharmaceuticals”. Mr Sidibé encouraged the Indian pharmaceutical industry to seize the opportunities to scale up access to HIV treatment in Africa and engage as strategic partner for the development of pharmaceutical production in Africa.

A new report provides an extensive synthesis and analysis of recent data, gaps and challenges in AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support for young people in Zambia.

For Zambia’s young people the AIDS response has seen a number of important successes, with a significant 25% decline in HIV incidence over the last decade. However, according to a groundbreaking new report, the AIDS epidemic continues to have a huge effect on the country’s youth, especially young women, and much more needs to be done to achieve an HIV-free generation.

Situation Assessment of the HIV Response among Young People in Zambia provides an extensive synthesis and analysis of recent data, gaps and challenges in AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support for this key age group. It was launched at a high level meeting held from 17-18 April in Lusaka.

The event was supported by Zambia’s United Nations Joint Team in collaboration with the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council (NAC), and the ministries of Health; Education; Youth and Sport; and Community Development, Mother and Child Health.

“We must reduce the number of new HIV infections among young people if we are to meet the targets set in the 2011 Political Declaration on AIDS,” said Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport Nathaniel Mubukwanu. “We are committed to continue developing high impact interventions using a combination of HIV prevention strategies to effectively respond to the epidemic,” he added.

Good progress but gaps remain

The assessment, focusing on 10 to 24 year olds, shows that HIV incidence decreased between 2001 and 2009 among young people and the proportion of young people having sex before the age of 15 has halved, from about 17% in 2000 to some 8% in 2009. There has also been a rise in the number of young people who were tested and received their HIV test results, from 7% in 2005 to 34% in 2009.

Despite these achievements, HIV prevalence among young people remains high. In 2007 prevalence among those aged 15-19, for example, was 6% for women and 4% for men.

This is attributed to a number of factors. Dr Clement Chela, NAC Director General, citing the report said these factors included, “Poor comprehensive knowledge of HIV; gender inequality, poverty and the combination of transactional and intergenerational sex, early marriage, alcohol use, peer pressure and the negative gatekeeper attitudes towards condom promotion among young people.”  Data shows that only 53% of adults expressed support for condom education for HIV prevention among young people.

The report also highlights that there is no comprehensive sexuality education package for pupils in school and a high level of stigma towards young people on treatment from their peers.

Way forward

One of the key recommendations in the report for increasing protection of young people is the promotion of their meaningful involvement in HIV policy and programme design and implementation. This can be facilitated by building their capacity as change agents and service providers and encouraging them to generate demand for HIV-related services.

As Youth Representative Chipasha Mwansa contended, while hoping that her peers’ recommendations would be taken with the seriousness they deserve: “Nothing for young people without meaningful involvement of young people.”

According to the report, bottlenecks that need to be addressed in order to meet young people’s needs are those that affect access to condoms, HIV counseling and testing, male circumcision and behavior change communication among young people in and out of school. Furthermore, youth friendly services should be expanded at the health facility and community level, including those integrating HIV care and treatment and legal protection for adolescents living with the virus.

Helen Frary, UNAIDS Country Coordinator, noted that a multipronged approach was necessary. “Providing young people with access to HIV testing, condoms, male circumcision and other reproductive health services, including sexuality education,  will significantly contribute to Zambia achieving the UNAIDS’ vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.”

To ensure that measurable progress is made in Zambia, the UN has pledged to work with relevant ministries and stakeholders to translate these main recommendations –and others— into a clear, costed and time-bound action plan which puts young people centre-stage.

Ngan is living with HIV. She gave birth to her son, who was born free of HIV, because Ngan had access to PMTCT services.
Credit: UNAIDS/ Mott

One of the key goals of the global AIDS response is the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive. In Asia and the Pacific, both Thailand and Cambodia are on track to reach this goal. However, overall, coverage of prevention of mother-to-child transmission is well below global averages, with very wide variations across the region.

During a symposium held on August 27 during The 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, experts explored how the 2015 elimination goal could be best achieved in Asia and the Pacific and what immediate concrete steps need to be taken. Organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNAIDS, the session also reviewed progress on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and discussed opportunities and challenges.

The event was intended to build on both the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive,  launched in June 2011, and a regional UN Task Force framework on the issue developed in November last year.

Participants heard that improved coverage of prevention of mother to child HIV and congenital syphilis services, better monitoring of mothers living with HIV and their children and greater coordination among health services in the region are critical to eliminating new infections in children.

“To reach the goal of zero new infections among children by 2015, national health services and communities need to work together,” said Steven Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific in conjunction with the session. “By coordinating efforts, not only will lives be saved and HIV transmission to children be halted, but national health systems will be strengthened as well.”

Anupama Rao Singh, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, maintained that while countries in the region are working to scale up the elimination of new HIV infections among children, there was a need  increase monitoring. “A lack of critical monitoring means they do not know how many children born to HIV-positive mothers are free of HIV and how many are infected,” she added, “Improved monitoring, especially through strong data management and follow-up, will go a long way towards our ultimate goal of having zero new infections among the region’s children.”

Without proper follow up systems, many of the children infected with HIV at birth or through breastfeeding will not be treated and about half will die before their second birthday.

The need to scale up antiretroviral (ARV) therapy was also highlighted. 

"Technologies like the WHO 2010 recommendations for ARV drugs for treating pregnant women and preventing HIV infections in infants exist and we know what needs to be done. Now we have a new strategy to do it more efficiently and effectively in ways that also contribute to stronger health services,” said WHO South East Asia Regional Director, Dr Samlee Pliangbanchang. “The vision for a new generation free from HIV is within our reach."

By providing high-quality, coordinated, antenatal care and family planning services, identifying and treating pregnant women living with HIV and syphilis, and providing follow-up treatment for children, countries in the region can achieve the goal of zero new infections among their children and keeping their mothers alive, the participants concluded. 

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.”

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.