The Importance of AIDS Education for Young People
The epidemic of HIV has been steadily spreading for the past two decades and now affects every country worldwide. Each year, more people die, and the number of people living with HIV continues to shoot the roofs – in spite of the fact that we have developed many proven HIV prevention methods. We now know much more how the virus is transmitted that we did in the initial days of the epidemic, and we know much more about how we can prevent it from being transmitted. One of the vital means of HIV prevention is education – teaching people about HIV: what it is, what it does, and how people can protect themselves. Over half of the world’s population is now under 25years old, and they are both the age group most threatened by AIDS – the best hope of combating the epidemic. Education can help to fight HIV, and it must focus on young people.

Two mains reasons exist for the importance of AIDS education to young people. The first is to prevent them from being infected. Young people are often chiefly vulnerable to sexually-transmitted diseases, and to HIV infection as a result of drug-uses. Young people (15-24years old) account for half of all new HIV infections throughout the world – more than 6000 become infected with HIV on daily basis. More than one third of the numbers of people living with HIV or AIDS are below 25years old, and almost two-thirds of them are women. In many parts of the world, young people in this group-age are at particularly high risk of HIV infection from unprotected sex, sex between men and drug-use because of the high prevalence rates often found amongst people who engage in these behaviours. Young people are often especially vulnerable to exploitation that may augment their susceptibility in infection. Even if they are not currently engaging in risk behaviours, as they become of age or older, young people may soon be exposed to situations that put them at danger. Indeed, globally most young people become sexually active in their teens. The fact that they are or soon will be at risk of HIV infection makes young people a crucial target for AIDS education.

The second reason why AIDS education for young people is important is that education can reduce stigma and discrimination. People who are infected with HIV around the world often suffer terribly from stigma, in that people who are HIV+ are somehow thought to be ‘dirty’, or to have ‘brought it on themselves’ by immoral practices’. They often suffer discrimination in terms of medical care, housing, and employment. These experiences, aside from being extremely distressing for HIV+ people, can also have the effect of making people reluctant to be tested for HIV, in case they are found to be HIV+. Stigma and discrimination often starts early – as name calling amongst children. AIDS education can help to prevent this, halting stigma and discrimination before they have the opportunity to grow.

AIDS education for the future: Being apprised about the facts and the dangers of HIV and AIDS enables young people to protect themselves and is a crucial tool in the fracas against HIV. There is no cure or vaccine for HIV – prevention is the only way in which we can place any limits on the epidemic. One of the most economical and effective means of HIV prevention is education – involving young people themselves in the HIV prevention effort. Also parents and guardians who are involved in the education of their children will be able to give additional support, outside classroom (at home) . Christian P Tabifor