Conference 2006: The Right to Know and the Will to Act

21/04/2006 | Bern

Youth and HIV/AIDS Prevention: The present and future of HIV/AIDS is shaped by the action of young people, women and men, girls and boys. Young people between the ages of 15 to 24 are at the same time the most threatened group – globally accounting for about half of all new HIV cases – and the greatest hope for creating a future without AIDS.

Experience shows that information on and awareness of HIV/AIDS is important, but not enough to change the behaviour of individuals and groups and/or to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Prevention – the decision to protect oneself and others and to adopt a responsible behaviour – is part of a life-concept and linked to life-perspectives both on the individual and the socio-economic level.

Access of children and adolescents to adequate HIV/AIDS information and education is a human right and offers an avenue to see their sexuality and life in a positive light. Starting with concrete experiences and innovative projects from two very different settings – Zimbabwe and Peru - the conference raises questions on approaches and strategies to HIV prevention, discusses options and limitations of present approaches and reflects on the challenges ahead. And it addresses the ambiguous and challenging roles of church and NGOs in international cooperation involved in supporting and empowering young people.

We invite partners of aidsfocus.ch and representatives of Swiss NGOs working in international cooperation as well as of any other interested institution. The conference will be held in English.

The conference is financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC and the Federal Institute of Public Health.