AEGiS-UNAIDS: More needs to be done to help young people most at risk of HIV infection

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

More needs to be done to help young people most at risk of HIV infection

UNAIDS - 10 August 2009

In general, HIV prevention services in the Asia region are currently not reaching young people who are most at risk of infection, which include those who inject drugs, who engage in unprotected male to male sex and those involved in sex work and their clients. In order to address this situation the Asia Pacific Regional UN Coordination Group on Most at Risk Young People is hosting a symposium at the IX International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific.

According to epidemic models presented in the 2008 AIDS in Asia Commission report, over 95% of all new HIV infections in the Asia region occur among such most at risk young populations. However, over 90% of resources for young people as a group are spent on low-risk youth, who represent less than 5% of infections.

Entitled "HIV prevention and most at risk young people", the event is sponsored jointly by UNFPA, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNAIDS, UNDP, WHO and is supported by 7Sisters, the Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS. It will examine, among other issues, how the specific needs of most at risk young people should be addressed, what works and what doesn't and how partnerships between youth, NGOs and government can be strengthened.

The symposium will discuss the nexus of unsafe sexual behaviours among most at risk young people where a number of such practices coexist in the same environment. Sex work, drug use and unprotected sex with multiple partners can all occur in the same social network. Therefore, participants will look at an approach which addresses a multiplicity of needs, meshing and coordinating previously implemented programmes and ensuring a youth-friendly approach.

A comprehensive, evidence-informed response, it will be argued, requires firm commitment from donors and governments to address the specific needs of most at risk young people, and an examination of the contexts in which these risks occur. The engagement of this group in developing the policies, programmes and processes that directly affect and benefit them is seen as a prerequisite. Young people will play an active and central role in this event as the practical aspect of exactly how to get youth involved in decision making is explored.

Specific objectives of the meeting will also include promoting awareness among policy makers and programme planners on the urgent need for HIV prevention for most at risk young people and encouraging increased collection, analysis and use of data on this key group to support advocacy efforts and inform budget allocation priorities. Sharing experience of programming in this area, both positive and not so positive, is on the agenda too.

Among those taking part in today's event will be UNFPA's Deputy Executive Director (Programme), Purnima Mane. UNESCO's Jan de Lind van Wijngaarden, and UNICEF's Margaret Sheehan will speak on behalf of the Asia Pacific Regional UN Coordination Group on Most at Risk Young People. James Chau, member of the AIDS2031 initiative, UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador and Chinese television presenter will facilitate the panel discussion. The panel will also involve representatives of the medical profession, NGOs, health ministries and representatives of young people involved in sex work, drug use and male to male sex.

Resources:

IX International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific - http://www.icaap9.org/

Policy and guidance:

Young people - Technical Policies of the UNAIDS Programme - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /Techpolicies/young_ppl_technical_policies.asp

Young people - Operational guidelines of the UNAIDS Programme - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /OperationGuidelines/young_ppl_operational_guidelines.asp

Men who have sex with men - Technical policies of the UNAIDS Programme - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /Techpolicies/men_men_sex_technical_policies.asp

Men who have sex with men: Key operational guidelines of the UNAIDS Programme - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /OperationGuidelines/men_men_sex_operational_guidelines.asp

People who use injecting drugs - Technical policies of the UNAIDS Programme - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /Techpolicies/ppl_whouse_Inj_technical_policies.asp

People who use injection drugs - Key operational guidelines of the UNAIDS Programme - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /OperationGuidelines/ppl_injec_operational_guidelines.asp

Related information:

More on ICAAP 09 - http://www.unaids.org/en/Conferences/2009/9_ICAAP.asp

Key populations: Young people - http://www.unaids.org/en/PolicyAndPractice/KeyPopulations/YoungPe ople/default.asp

Key populations: Men who have sex with men - http://www.unaids.org/en/PolicyAndPractice/KeyPopulations/MenSexM en/default.asp

Key populations: People who use injecting drugs - http://www.unaids.org/en/PolicyAndPractice/KeyPopulations/InjectD rugUsers/default.asp

Key populations: Sex workers and clients - http://www.unaids.org/en/PolicyAndPractice/KeyPopulations/SexWork ers/default.asp

Cosponsors:

UNFPA - http://www.unfpa.org/

UNICEF - http://www.unicef.org/

UNESCO - http://www.unesco.org/

UNDP - http://www.undp.org/

WHO - http://www.who.int/

Partners:

7Sisters, the Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS - http://www.7sisters.org/

Feature stories:

International Harm Reduction conference opens in Bangkok (20 April 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090421.html

OPINION: HIV and drugs: two epidemics - one combined strategy (20 April 2009) - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories /archive/2009/20090420_HIVand_Drugs_two_epi.asp

Swing and Sisters: HIV outreach to sex workers in Thailand (19 March 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090323.html

Injecting drug use and HIV: Interview with UNAIDS Team Leader, Prevention, Care and Support team (11 march 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090311.html

OPINION: Silence on harm reduction not an option (11 March 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090312.html

Spotlight: men who have sex with men and HIV (16 February 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090212.html

Hidden HIV epidemic amongst MSM in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (26 January 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090109.html

HIV prevention hampered by homophobia (13 January 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090104.html

Publications:

UNAIDS Action Framework: Universal Access for Men who have Sex with Men and Transgender People (pdf, 323 Kb.) - http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2009/jc1720_action_framework_ms m_en.pdf

Framework for monitoring and evaluating prevention programmes for most-at-risk-populations (pdf, 1.49 Mb.) - http://data.unaids.org/pub/Manual/2007/jc1519_me_framework_en.pdf

Policy Brief: HIV and Sex between men (pdf, 277 Kb.) - http://data.unaids.org/Publications/IRC-pub07/jc1269-policybrief- msm_en.pdf
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