Children, youths priority in anti-AIDS program<\/p>\n
By Mark Connolly<\/p>\n
CHIANG MAI, Thailand (JP): Instead of examining sexual health
\nand education for the prevention of AIDS, I thought our minds
\ncould explore some broader frameworks that may enable our
\nsocieties to improve the health and wealth-being of children and
\nyouth, which in turn could have a dramatic effect on the AIDS
\npandemic. For we should all recognize the fact that healthy youth
\nare the key to a nation's health and prosperity. Rich in ideas,
\nenergy and creativity, young people are a most powerful resource
\nin AIDS prevention, health promotion and the protection of human
\nrights.<\/p>\n
If the health needs of young people are not met and their
\nrights not respected, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted
\npregnancies and unsafe abortion; alcohol, tobacco, and other
\nsubstance abuse and injecting drug use (increasingly popular
\namong young people in this region); violence, and of course,
\nHIV\/AIDS will continue to flourish in our communities.<\/p>\n
In 1993, UNICEF formed five Technical Support Groups covering
\nthe following areas: School-based interventions; sexual and
\nreproductive health; children and families affected by AIDS;
\nhealth communication and the mass media; and youth health and
\ndevelopment promotion.<\/p>\n
From this region, there was very strong participation in these
\ngroups from Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines.<\/p>\n
I will only speak about one of the five clearly inter-related
\nareas: youth health and development promotion. In the area of
\nyouth health, at least four key programming elements have been
\nidentified.<\/p>\n
I remind you that we are looking at a broader range of issues,
\nnot solely HIV\/AIDS, but keeping in mind, of course, that such
\nbroader frameworks have the potential to enable our societies to
\neventually get ahead of many epidemics.<\/p>\n
In youth health promotion, one essential programming element
\nis a national action plan for youth health -- not just a policy
\non youth or health, but a concrete plan with responsibilities
\nwithin several sectors of society. A second key element is school
\nhealth programs that are aimed at improving both the health and
\nlearning capacity of young people in school. A third key
\ncomponent in promoting youth health at all levels are youth
\nfriendly health services - accessible facilities that kids don't
\nmind going to because they are treated with respect; services
\nwith increase young people's access to and utilization of quality
\nmedical and counseling services. A fourth essential component is
\ninnovative outreach through youth organizations - focussing on
\nreaching youth out of school and the most vulnerable and
\nexploited -- or as we say in UNICEF-ese, those in \"especially
\ndifficult circumstances\", which includes street children, child
\nlaborers, the displaced and refugees, those kids in armed
\nconflict and sexually exploited children and youth.<\/p>\n
But there is still something missing in this set of
\nprogramming elements, for they do not provide the answer to why
\nthe interventions work. The \"why\" is young people themselves.
\nTheir genuine involvement in any program, intervention, or
\nactivity. Unfortunately, we have historically mistaken youth as
\nmerely \"needs\" rather than \"resources\".<\/p>\n
Young people today have real strength of character and
\nindependence, which we must respect. They have strongly defined
\nlines of what they will and will not do, and have a great ability
\nto know who they are and who they want to be. Because of the role
\nwe play in shaping the culture in which young people grow and
\nform impressions, we have a special responsibility to young
\npeople. We have to take our responsibility seriously.<\/p>\n
In many parts of the world, inequality, discrimination and
\nviolence still cast a long dark shadow over the lives,
\nlivelihoods, minds and bodies of young people. So we need very
\nbroad and strong frameworks so that the youth health approach or
\nany of the other approaches we may have can really have an impact
\non our communities and countries. So in the case of HIV\/AIDS, for
\nexample, we may need to think about a more modern approach to
\nhealth and development -- an approach that quite obviously is
\nlinked in the United Nations convention on the Rights of the
\nChild, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
\ndiscrimination against Women, and the Universal Declaration of
\nHuman Rights.<\/p>\n
For health promotion surely depends on the extent to which the
\nrights of children, youth and adults are protected and respected.
\nThese solid, three pillared framework based on rights clearly
\nprovide a better framework than the existing doctor-driven
\nbiomedical approaches.<\/p>\n
These conventions and the declaration provide a bill of rights
\nfor all. It is vital that these instruments be implemented in
\norder to bring about real changes in the lives of young people.
\nFor it is such \"right respected\" environments that sexual health
\nand AIDS education -- not to mention many other programs and
\ninterventions -- truly have the potential to be highly effective.<\/p>\n
When we leave this great gathering in Chiang Mai, some will
\nleave inspired, others depressed. Some motivated, most of us
\ntired. We should all leave with some hope, knowing of course,
\nthat hope alone will not get us through this epidemic. But with
\nhope bonded with firm commitments to the protection and respect
\nof rights, we will prevail.<\/p>\n
Mark Connolly is an executive of the United Nations Children's
\nFund (UNICEF), New York Headquarters. The above article is an
\nexcerpt of the paper he presented during the Third International
\nConference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific from Sept.17 to 21 in
\nChiang Mai, Thailand.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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