Each August 12th, the world commemorates the United Nations International Youth Day. The UN General Assembly set up the day on December 17, 1999 after the UN Session endorsed recommendations made by the inaugural World Conference of Ministers responsible for youth held in Lisbon.
During the conference, delegations adopted the “Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies and Programmes”, which committed nations and the international community to take actions in such areas as youth participation, development, peace, education, employment, health, and drug and substance abuse.
The youth are at increased risk for HIV due to developmental, psychological, social, and structural transitions that converge in this period of the lifespan. In addition, adolescent deaths resulting from HIV continue to rise despite declines in other age groups.
There are also young key populations (YKPs) that bear disproportionate burdens of HIV and are the most vulnerable, including young men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender youth, young people who inject drugs, and adolescent and young adult sex workers.
The Kenyan government, stakeholders and the society at large must do more to stop new HIV infections and untimely HIV-related deaths. The government must improve primary and secondary prevention and better management approaches.
As a country, we need to take advantage of the innovations and technologies that youth have easily incorporated into their daily lives to reduce new infections and deaths. Though the fight against HIV/AIDS in Kenya has recorded tremendous progress, the country has an average HIV prevalence rate of 6 per cent for the last five years and with about 1.6 million people living with HIV infection.
Kenya is one of the six HIV ‘high burden’ countries in Africa according to data from the National Aids Control Council (NACC). Due to the fact that the youth are at high risk for HIV/Aids, the government must enhance efforts to be realised in order to curb the increasing numbers of the scourge among young people. The focus should be on fighting the spread of HIV/Aids and youth are crucial when it comes to playing a key role in this war.
The youth should be empowered to develop, implement and manage youth-owned strategies, activities, networks, organisations and campaigns in the fight against HIV/Aids. Therefore, the International Youth Day should be a constant reminder for the young people that they too have a responsibility to fight the scourge.
