AEGiS-10IAC: Promoting health among out-of-school youth.

10th International AIDS Conference

Yokohama, Japan — Aug 7-12, 1994

Promoting health among out-of-school youth.

Int Conf AIDS 1994 Aug 7-12; 10:5 (abstract no. PS21)
Filgueiras A; Hand-in-Hand Network, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: to underline the urgent need for government and nongovernment collaboration in implementing holistic, intersectorial, and culturally appropriate programmes able to effectively reach, protect, and promote the health of out-of-school youth as part of HIV/AIDS prevention strategies.

METHODS: Millions of youth worldwide are outside of the formal school system, where they are at increased exposure to situations which make them extremely vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection and where they are outside the traditional reach of institutional programme and prevention messages. Studies in many countries also suggest that a higher proportion of young women than young men are out-of-school and at higher risk of HIV infection. A majority of both boys and girls living in developing countries are compelled to work for their own survival and/or contribute towards the family income. Data shows that these young people are increasingly sexually active early in life and consequently affected more by STDs and HIV infection because they do not have regular access to public health and services.

RESULTS: Rooted in the current experiences of these youth, and operating in their main settings, many innovative initiatives have been developed. Addressing issues from the perspective of out-of-school youth such as gender, age, developmental stages, sexual preferences and other related factors, these programmes are progressively demonstrating how realistic and individual approaches might be implemented.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The extent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic urgently requires pragmatic efforts from the perspective of individual and social rights to ensure the protection and promotion of the sexual and reproductive health needs of out-of-school youth. Only through a multisectoral approach and the integration of government, NGO, and international agency responses can progress be made towards the goal of improved adolescent sexual health and HIV prevention.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Schools, HIV Infections, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Sex Behavior, Adolescent, Adolescent Health Services, Developing Countries, Public Health, Adolescent Behavior, Human, Female, Male, Adolescence, ICA10
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PS21