WORLD AIDS DAY 2007: Young leaders organise against HIV in 34 countries

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[NEW YORK, 27 November 2007] – HIV and AIDS is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today – and young people remain at the centre of the epidemic in terms of infection rates and potential for change. This World AIDS Day, 1 December 2007, members of the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) are organising 104 events in 34 countries to highlight the pressing need to build youth leadership and to listen to the voices of young leaders fighting HIV and AIDS in their communities.

GYCA events, organised in partnership with the World AIDS Campaign's "Take the Lead" World AIDS Day initiative, include concerts, workshops, rallies and more. In Ghana, a series of soccer matches will be coordinated under the theme “Kick HIV out! In Venezuela, teenagers will give their input to local government projects to fight HIV. In Macedonia, young people will decorate public Christmas trees with messages about HIV prevention and the importance of open communication around sexuality and health.

According to GYCA National Focal Point Yahya Poli of Tanzania, World AIDS Day events are key opportunities to increase public awareness. “Youth and the community at large need a space where they can freely share information, knowledge and experiences about HIV,” he said. GYCA National Focal Point Esther Eshiet of Nigeria, a peer educator who teaches other girls about sexuality, health and HIV, added, “Youth leadership is what we need to make actual progress! Since we are the worst hit, we have to take the lead to stamp out the virus.”

Young people are particularly affected by HIV and AIDS – about 40 per cent of the 2.5 million new infections each year occur in people aged 15 to 24. Yet young leaders are also uniting to inspire others from our generation to take action against HIV and AIDS on their own terms - through street theatre, care for AIDS orphans, peer education and work with young injecting drug users. Young people must be supported with the training, funding and leadership opportunities that will enable youth to truly “Take the Lead” in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

GYCA World AIDS Day gatherings are currently planned for Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ghana, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Macedonia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Somaliland, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, United States, Vietnam, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. Please visit www.youthaidscoalition.org/activities.html for more information on locations, times and event descriptions.

The Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) is an alliance of 3,000 young leaders and adult allies in over 150 countries working on HIV and AIDS. For more information, please visit www.youthaidscoalition.org.

More information about child rights and World AIDS Day 2007 is available on the CRIN website here.

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Children living with HIV/AIDS

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