World AIDS Youth Debate - Global

The discussion forums were organised with an eye to putting the views and concerns of young people at the centre of efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. Video conferencing technology, offered at the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) facilities, was designed to enable youth representing a broad range of cultures and religions to interact in their own languages and lead their peers in an interactive debate. Members of youth organisations shared their experiences and expressed their needs, interests, and doubts with respect to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and related human rights issues.

Specifically, the debates focused on stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS in accordance with the World AIDS Campaign theme "Live and Let Live." Several young participants recommended integrating a health section specifically on the transmission of HIV/AIDS into all school curricula to make clear that the disease is not spread by external physical contact with persons that are HIV positive. A participant from South Africa noted that HIV/AIDS discrimination should be countered at an international as well as a local level, citing the fact that many countries require both tourist and long-term visa candidates to pass an HIV test.

Other comments focussed on cultural and religious matters. Where HIV/AIDS is transmitted by sexual contact, HIV positive people are seen in some parts of the world as having received a "just punishment." Others argued that a religious or popular leader might have the power to galvanise people to fight against both the disease and the stigma.

Visitors to the UNESCO site may view each 2-hour debate. Highlights are currently being produced and these will soon be available on a CD-Rom. Further videoconference debates are planned for December 2003, albeit on a smaller scale.

HIV/AIDS, Youth, Rights, Stigma.

Each day, 14,000 more people become newly infected with HIV/AIDS. More than half of them are young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Organisers claim that despite these numbers, many young people do not receive the services and information they need. In many countries and communities, there is a refusal to even discuss HIV/AIDS, let alone admit that young people should be responsible for their choices and actions.