Focus on Young People to Prevent Spread of AIDS: Foster Parents Plan Report

More programs that empower youths to focus on the socioeconomic and cultural factors that fuel HIV transmission are needed to fight the disease worldwide, according to a Foster Parents Plan (FPP) document to be released today. The report, "Circle of Hope," urges community, governmental and international aid agencies to promote the welfare of youths by addressing issues that govern their lives and to involve youths in creating and implementing prevention programs.

"Children and youth can receive all sorts of information about HIV and AIDS, but that may not be enough in order for them to be protected," said Sarah Hendriks, HIV/AIDS program manager for the Toronto-based agency. "[That's] simply because the cultural, economic and social factors relating to the decisions made about their sexual and reproductive health have greater impact ... than just the acquisition of knowledge itself."

The "ABC" HIV prevention strategy -- Abstinence, Being faithful, and Condom use -- may not be useful for some youths, said Hendriks, especially for girls in sub-Saharan Africa. ABC "simply doesn't work in a situation where girls can neither abstain from sex in their marriage, they are being faithful but that doesn't help, and using a condom really doesn't apply in a cultural context where condoms aren't acceptable in marital situations," said Hendriks. Being married "can actually be one of the greatest risk factors for HIV infection," she said.

Other risk factors for children and youths are violence and sexual assault, forced prostitution and body scarification.

In 2004, FPP trained youths at three Bondo, Kenya, areas to provide HIV testing and counseling. Hendriks said that having youths operate the program helped overcome other youths' testing fears, disease stigma, and disapproval from the community, which has a high HIV prevalence. With increased testing, the youths are able to "make wise life decisions," she said.

For more information, visit: www.plan-international.org/news/publications/.

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