AIDSHIV

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Children Infected Affected by HIV/ AIDS
Youth Advocate Program International 4545 42nd
St. NW, Suite 209 Washington DC 20016,
USA www.yapi.org
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HIV/AIDS What Do You Know?

• What is HIV? What is AIDS?
• How is the disease transmitted?
• In what part of the world is HIV/AIDS most
  prevalent?
• Who is vulnerable to contracting HIV/AIDS?

"Helping kids understand about AIDS is the most
important thing I do. Some kids like to pretend
that it's not happening in the world. By letting
them know what's really going on, I might save
someone's life." Hydeia L. Broadbent AIDS
patient and activist.
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HIV/AIDS Terms to Know

• HIV the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a
  retrovirus that attacks the cells of the immune
  system. HIV is transmitted through an exchange of
  bodily fluids (eg. exposure to infected blood,
  during sexual activity with an infected
  individual, by sharing needles). It can also pass
  from an infected mother to her child. HIV is the
  virus that eventually causes AIDS.
• AIDS an Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
  diagnosis is made when symptoms that indicate the
  disease (primarily a decrease in the number of
  immune system cells in a persons bloodstream)
  are identified by a doctor in a HIV-positive
  person.

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HIV/AIDS Terms to Know

• CRC the Convention on the Rights of the Child
  is an international treaty that recognizes the
  human rights of the children, defined as persons
  up to the age of 18 years. It ensure the rights
  to survival, development, protection and
  participation of all children without
  discrimination.
• CSEC Commercial Sexual Exploitation of
  Children comprises sexual abuse by the adult and
  remuneration in cash or kind to the child or a
  third person or persons. The child is treated as
  a sexual object and as a commercial object.
  (World Conference Against CSEC)

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HIV/AIDS Basic Facts

• Every minute five people around the world between
  the ages of 10 and 24 are infected with HIV.
• There are 2.5 million children under the age of
  15 living with the disease worldwide.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of new
  infections occurs among young people between the
  ages of 15 and 24.
• Of the 3 million who died of AIDS in 2003,
  500,000 were children.
• The total number of children orphaned by AIDS
  13.2 million as of 2001 is expected to more
  than double by 2010.
• Source UNAIDS. ltwww.unaids.orggt (April 29,
  2004).
• Source UNAIDS, AIDS Epidemic Update December
  2003, p.3.
• Source UNICEF, Young People and HIV/AIDS
  Opportunity in Crisis, p.6 publication on-line
  www.unicef.org/publictions/pub_youngpeople_hivaids
  _en.pdf (February 17, 2004).
• Source UNAIDS, AIDS Epidemic Update December
  2003, p.3.
• Source UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS. Fact
  Sheet. 2001.

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HIV/AIDS Where are Children affected by HIV/AIDS?
Source UNAIDS/WHO
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HIV/AIDS Why do children have HIV/AIDS?

• Most children under 15 who have HIV/AIDS are
  infected through their infected mothers that
  is, through mother child transmission.
• this occurs during pregnancy, birth, or
  breastfeeding after birth.
• Sexual activity (the main route of disease
  transmission) starts in adolescence for most
  people worldwide.
• Young people who are uninformed about HIV/AIDS
  transmission risk becoming infected.

• Poverty, lack of education, lack of medical
  resources, and the commercial sexual exploitation
  of children also help spread HIV/AIDS among
  children worldwide.

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HIV/AIDS Which children are most affected?

• Adolescent girls and young women are at a
  disproportionately high risk of contracting
  HIV/AIDS.
• Girls are physiologically more vulnerable to
  infection.
• Gender-based inequities mean girls and women are
  more likely to be poor and powerless, hence are
  more vulnerable to sexual exploitation and
  HIV/AIDS infection.
• Violence against girls in the form of forced or
  coerced sex, or CSEC also increase their chances
  of becoming infected.
• Children who live on the streets.
• Children who inject drugs.

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HIV/AIDS How are children affected?

• Children with HIV/AIDS have weaker immune systems
  and are more susceptible to other illnesses.
• Children with HIV/AIDS may be stigmatized and/ or
  rejected from their families and communities.
• this discrimination fosters ignorance about
  HIV/AIDS and stigma against testing for, treating
  the disease. This in turn makes it difficult to
  prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
• Children are orphaned when their parents die from
  HIV/AIDS.

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HIV/AIDS What is being done to help?

• NGOs and governments are working together to
  educate the public about HIV/AIDS and to direct
  individuals to clinics that offer free HIV
  testing.
• Researchers continue their efforts to find better
  treatments to help those with AIDS and
  ultimately, a cure.
• however, new medicines are often too expensive
  for poor countries.
• intellectual property rights also block the
  production of more affordable, generic medicines.
• Some governments have increased funding and
  adopted legislation that help children with AIDS.

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HIV/AIDS Recap and Discussion
Care for us and accept us we are all human
beings. We are normal. We have hands. We have
feet. We can walk, we can talk, we have needs
just live everyone else dont be afraid of us
we are all the same! Nkosi Johnson 13th
International AIDS Conference

• How can HIV/AIDS be transmitted? How do children
  contract HIV?
• Who is most vulnerable?
• How can you prevent yourself from contracting
  HIV?
• How do you think people would react if you had
  HIV/AIDS?
• What are the stigmas attached to HIV/AIDS?
• What could organizations and governments do to
  help AIDS orphans?

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HIV/AIDS What Can You Do?

• Educate yourself about HIV/AIDS.
• Contact local, state, and national politicians
  for support for HIV/AIDS.
• Write letters asking for their opinion on
  HIV/AIDS.
• Talk to your parents about HIV/AIDS.
• Educate the adults in your life!
• Advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness!
• Begin a social awareness/human rights club.

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HIV/AIDS For More Information

• AIDS.org
• www.aids.org
• Center for Disease Control
• www.cdc.gov
• AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth Families
• www.aids-alliance.org
• Population Services International
• www.youthaids.org

UNAIDS www.unaids.org UNICEF www.unicef.org/aid
s Youth Advocate Program International
www.yapi.org