AEGiS-14IAC: Linking youth sexuality and livelihoods: a viable strategy for HIV/AIDS prevention.

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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Linking youth sexuality and livelihoods: a viable strategy for HIV/AIDS prevention.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. F11793)

Mehta A
Deepak Charitable Trust, Vadodara, India

ISSUES: At present, large proportions of young people live in the threat of HIV/AIDS. Statistics reveal that in 2001, approximately 6000 young people aged 15-24 became infected with HIV every day. Numerous efforts are underway to create awareness on sexuality and STI/HIV/AIDS in adolescents through fairs, camps and other group activities. However, these efforts are stopgaps and fall short on empowering the adolescents to exercise control over their sexual and reproductive health. There is an increased realization that sexual behaviour of adolescents is closely linked with their economic options.

DESCRIPTION: This paper affirms the success of linking sexual health interventions and livelihood options for adolescents as an effective strategy for HIV/AIDS prevention. The paper will discuss the vocational training classes used as a strategy to: a). recruit adolescents in a classroom setup wherein a focused and intensive education on sexuality and HIV/AIDS is imparted simultaneously; b). to impart life skills education for greater control over their own reproductive health; c). to reach out messages on safe sex and HIV/AIDS to other adolescents and the community through peer leaders formed in the classes; d). to create an enabling environment in the community. This paper is based on experiences of a linked program for adolescent boys and girls, undertaken by a NGO working in a rural community in Gujarat, India.

ISSUES: Providing livelihood opportunities and improvement in economic status thereby, not only has a positive impact on the sexual health options and choices of young people but also serves as a platform to impart education on sexuality and HIV/AIDS.

RECOMMENDATIONS: This paper recommends that linked programs not only have a greater potential for effectively and efficiently improving the lives of youth but also may be more successful than single sector programs in placing youth concerns at the forefront of national and international policy agenda.

Keywords: AEGIS, Sex Behavior, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Sexuality, HIV Seropositivity, Adolescent Behavior, Adolescent Psychology, Safe Sex, India, Adolescent, Human, Adolescence, Male, Female, prevention & controlKWDaegis,sexbehavior,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hivinfections,sexuality,hivseropositivity,adolescentbehavior,adolescentpsychology,safesex,india,adolescent,human,adolescence,male,female,prevention&control

020707
F11793

Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.