“Global success in combating HIV/AIDS must be measured by its impact on our children and young people. Are they getting the information they need to protect themselves from HIV? Are girls being empowered to take charge of their sexuality? Are infants safe from the disease, and are children orphaned by AIDS being raised in loving supportive environments? These are the hard questions we need to be asking. These are the yardsticks for measuring our leaders. We cannot let another generation be devastated by AIDS.”
-- Carol Bellamy
Executive Director, UNICEF

In areas where the spread of HIV/AIDS is declining, it is primarily because young men and women are adopting safe behaviors that protect them from getting infected. Young people have demonstrated that they are capable of making responsible choices and protecting themselves when provided with proper support and information. Not only are they more likely than adults to adopt and maintain safe behaviors, they have also been effective in educating and motivating others to make safe choices. Young people are at the centre of this crisis and play an important role in defeating this disease.

Although we know that educating young people about HIV is a critical part of the fight against this disease and that a majority have heard about AIDS, many do not know how HIV is spread or how to protect themselves from this disease. Moreover, many do not believe they are at risk.

Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS are widespread among young people and vary from culture to culture. Surveys from 40 countries indicate that more than 50% of young people aged 15 to 24 have serious misconceptions about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted. Many young people around the world do not know the three primary ways to avoid sexual transmission of the disease:

• Abstain from sex of any kind
• Be faithful to one person who has been tested and is not infected with HIV
• Use a condom every time you have sex.