On December 2^nd, I attended an Education Symposium in Berlin, Germany hosted by UNAIDS on “How to get the message across – The education sector’s response to the challenge of HIV prevention among most-at-risk youth.”  The meeting gathered leaders in UN agencies, civil society, and (marginally) youth to attend the day-long symposium to address challenges and opportunities in reducing the vulnerability of young people to HIV and particularly most-at-risk (MAR) populations within youth that included gay, lesbian, transgender, and queer (GLBTQ) youth particularly young men who have sex with men (MSM), young people who use drugs, and young female sex workers (FSW). 

The dialogue was very exciting, because the conversation started at the foundation of:

• whom we are talking about when say MAR youth;
• what are the challenges MAR youth face;
• who are we targeting to address these  challenges; and,
• what political recommendations we demand to most effectively and sensitively respond to the HIV epidemic among youth.

Although there were only a handful of young people at the meeting of the 68 participants registered, I have to say that the 15-minute session (yes, I’m typing correctly--only 15 minutes out of a whole day where young people could discuss their OWN issues) was by far, the most concise, honest, and most compelling session of the day. 

Youth representatives included Mary Mutupa from AWOMI Zambia, Hippolyte Bwiza Muhire from GYCA, Ms. Selbi Jumayeva from Labrys Kyrgzstan and Ms. Zauresh Amanholova from  Y-PEER Kazakhstan spoke on behalf of young people in Central Asia and Africa to present their comments on the presentations made by adults during the entire morning. In 15 minutes, these were the points that most resonated with me:

• Young people, share the same “age group,” but we are diverse in our lifestyles, practices, gender identities, sexual orientations, academic and employment interests, learning opportunities, and social and cultural environments. 

• Young people need to be meaningfully involved in all levels of discussions and decision-making processes relevant to policies and programs, particularly with reproductive and sexual health. 

• Young people want more than HIV prevention--we want comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services that empower us to make well-informed decisions based on our own needs.

• Young people want POSITIVE messages about HIV prevention that starts with the positive dialogue about sexuality as a normal and healthy part of our lives. 

The last point about positive messages actually struck me earlier in the day, when a a photo of a wall painting in Kenya was presented.

The message was: “AIDS is not a witchraft, AIDS is a killer”.

Believe it or not, but this was presented as an effective message for young people. Wow, what a wake-up call! It made me realize that although young people continue to advocate for messages that are precisely not like this negative and antiquated message about HIV—we have so much more work to do!  We need to demand messages that resonate with young people—not messages that are intimidating and judgmental.

Beyond that, we expect the rights of young people living with HIV/AIDS (YPLHWA) to be respected.  Not only do messages like this further stigmatize people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHWA), but these messages perpetuate the false understanding that HIV/AIDS is a death sentence.  Although there was only time to discuss the negativity around this message, I would have liked to take the conversation a step further to emphasize the need to not only talk about “stigma and discrimination” as an issue facing PLWHA and discouraging young people to access SHRR services, but also the demand for YPLWHA to have the same SRHR that every person has the right to have.  YPLWHA have the same rights as every other human (and of course that includes sexual rights!) being on this planet.  YPLWHA, just like anyone else, have the right to access comprehensive, non-judgemental, respectful information and services that can help YPLWHA feel empowered with the information and skills to live a sexually healthy and positive life. 

YPLWHA, including those whom were peri-natally infected, are now entering reproductive years, and there is still little to information and services that can help them grow through adolescence into adulthood empowered to make responsible sexual health decisions.

We can continue to discuss the ways to address stigma and discrimination, because they are important—but without the recognition of YPLWHA’s rights and decisions to grow up healthy with the respect and understanding that they are normal, sexual human beings in society that need to know how to prevent STIs including HIV but also know when and if they want to have a child.  Stigma and discrimination can be addressed and actually positively by integrating YPLWHA as young, healthy beings in society that have the same sexual and reproductive decisions to make as one that is HIV-negative. 

Being at this symposium recognizing that I was one of the few young people there, really showed me that we have so much more work to do to ensure our voices are being heard to ensure that ALL young people’s rights, regardless of status, will be ensured.

Happy World AIDS Week!