TANZANIA: TANZANIA: UN urges youth involvement in HIV/AIDS fight

The United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday said without involving and supporting the youth, the fight against HIV/AIDS would never be won.

Children present at Tanzania's National HIV/AIDS Conference echoed those remarks, claiming that at present, their participation in HIV/AIDS campaigns and policy making was minimal.

"Children do not feel involved in HIV/AIDS policies at all," Lilian Giweti, who works on the Kisarawe Youth Development Network, told UN news agency Plusnews.

Several delegates said the stark reality of the warning was exactly what was needed to change the tone of the conference from "business as usual" to a constructive workshop for change.

"We have to start accepting and respecting that children and young people have their own understanding of their problems and opportunities and that they are trying their level best to do what makes sense to them," said Bjorn Ljungqvist, UNICEF's resident representative in Tanzania.

UNICEF said that in Tanzania there was close to 2 million children that had been orphaned by AIDS.

"With limited prospects of employment and a satisfactory livelihood, this generation is running the highest risk of HIV/AIDS transmission," Ljungqvist added.

Theme (s): Children,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]