PRESS BRIEFING ON HIV/AIDS BY UNFPA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 

Today’s young generation, the largest in history, had not known a world without HIV/AIDS, Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said this morning at a Headquarters press briefing to launch “Our Voice, Our Future”, a report by young people on progress made on the General Assembly Special Session Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.

She said that between 5,000 and 6,000 young people aged 15 to 24 years were infected by HIV each day -- half of all new HIV infections -- not only adding to the staggering impact of AIDS on youth, but also increasing pressure on weakened health systems and, therefore, impacting on the social and economic stability of nations.

Tomorrow’s high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS represented a time for governments to reflect on the commitments they had made four years ago at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS.  They were urged to listen to what young people were saying, learn from them and support their leadership.  UNFPA did that on a regular basis through its Youth Advisory Panel and its Special Youth Programme.  It had made a great difference in the responsiveness of the Fund’s programmes and actions to meet the needs and reduce the vulnerabilities of young people.  Young people still felt sidelined and ornamental when it came to national responses to HIV/AIDS.

Launching the report, one of its authors, 20-year-old Eunice Aghete from Nigeria, noted that young women were three times more vulnerable to infection, biologically, than their male counterparts.  In Africa, some cultures and traditions placed women at high risk and their involvement in HIV/AIDS prevention was important.  Young people were not interested in being called up to “rubber stamp” programmes designed by adults, but would rather be involved from start to finish.  There was also a need for greater government funding of youth-driven programmes and initiatives, particularly those involving peer education.

Another author, 22-year-old Vikram Singh Laishram, said that during their formative years, young people lacked information to enable them to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS infection.  As a person infected through the use of contaminated syringes, he felt that young people must stand up for their rights, particularly that of assisted treatment.  Young people were only willing to disclose their HIV status when that would improve their prospects, otherwise the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease was so strong that it deterred disclosure.

Ms. Aghete is a youth volunteer with a Lagos-based non-governmental organization called Action Health Inc., and has participated in outreach to educate her peers about HIV/AIDS.  As a Global Youth Partner, she plans to advocate for intervention programmes targeted towards youth living with disabilities.  Mr. Laishram, from Manipur, India, is Director of the People’s Empowerment Organization and does grass-roots advocacy work to raise awareness among young people, especially injecting drug users.  Their two organizations -- Global Youth Partners and Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS -- conducted research in 12 developing countries and wrote the report.

* *** *