WHY HIV?

 Abstinence

The Facts:

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has become arguably the worst public health crisis in human history:

34 million men, women, and children worldwide are currently infected with HIV.

17 million people, half of those currently infected, do not yet know their status.

26 million people, more than ¾ of those currently infected, do not receive proper anti-retroviral treatment.

23.5 million People in Sub-Saharan Africa are HIV positive, 69% of the infected population worldwide.

2.5 million People became infected with HIV in 2011 (roughly 6849 every day).

40% of all new HIV infections occur among youth aged 0-24.

Source: UNAIDS, UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report, 2012

The Solution

1: HIV Prevention

HIV/AIDS is 100% preventable. UNAIDS declared the theme of 2012 World AIDS day to be “Getting to Zero,” a testament to a worldwide goal of reaching no new HIV infections by 2015.

What is needed to actually get us there? Two key actors in the fight against HIV, HIV prevention and youth awareness.The most effective way to combat new infections is HIV prevention, a tactic that focuses on the promotion of healthy sexual behavior and life skills in at-risk communities.

  2: Youth Awareness

“Young people are the key in the fight against AIDS. By giving them the support they need, we can empower them to protect themselves against the virus.” – Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan

No matter which way you put it, young people are the future. Youth awareness and empowerment campaigns have the ability to shift the perspectives of young people worldwide. It is on this front in the fight against HIV/AIDS where ingenuity and creativity have the largest impact on HIV prevention.