AEGiS-15IAC: Africa Youth Empowerment Theory in the HIV/AIDS programs.

15th International AIDS Conference


Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

DonateNow
Print this article

Africa Youth Empowerment Theory in the HIV/AIDS programs.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. D10346)

Mutuma EG
Youth Vision Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana

ISSUE: In the past couple of years there has been an increase in awareness, and knowledge levels of HIV/AIDS prevention and information and commitment to combating this deadly disease among the youth in Africa. But the youth have not changed their behaviour. The African youth are still at high risk and vulnerable to devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic.

DESCRIPTION: The Africa youth empowerment theory is a mind map of a tree poster presentation, which relates HIV/AIDS and other contributing root causes of the epidemic among the African youth. The tree is divide into three parts; the ROOTS representing the problems faced by African youth, unemployment, poverty, STIs, HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, abortions, lack of rights, FGDs and so on; the STEM shows the strategies and programs need to help African youth; the FRUITS the desired outcomes if HIV/AIDS programs and strategies are combined with income generation and employment creation for the youth. Besides the three is a bag of fertilizer being poured to the tree representing stakeholders in the HIV/AIDS. The other side of the tree is a CAN of water pouring to the tree representing the donor and international community.

RECOMMENDATIONS: The tree identifies poverty and unemployment as the main and root causes of lack of behaviour change among the youth in Africa. Its poverty for example which makes young people to go for sugar daddies and mummies, its poverty and lack of employment which makes Africa youth to abort, to be vulnerable and have their rights violated and go into streets for prostitution. The Africa youth empowerment theory recommends that for behaviour change and the fight against AIDS to be attained successfully among the youth in Africa. HIV/AIDS programmes should be combined with youth empowerment strategies and income generation activities.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, Africa, Health Planning Guidelines, Research Design, Demography, Human Rights, Health Services Needs and Demand, Behavior, Research, Adolescent, Humans, Female, Pregnancy

040711
D10346

Copyright © 2004 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.