AIDS Perspectives

Archive ID: 2007_unaids_aids_perspectives_edited

This is a short film about the global HIV and AIDS response lead by the young generation. Youths and representatives of community networks and health care centers in Cambodia, United States, Mexico, Botswana, Russia and India talk about HIV awareness and prevention.

Transcription

[MUSIC PLAYING]
AIDS is exceptional.
The epidemic has turned into one
of the most serious challenges

our planet has ever faced.
Yet, despite the magnitude
of the AIDS crisis,

we're beginning to see
some real progress.

This film highlights some
of the ongoing efforts

around the world to
halt the epidemic

and how young people
especially are

taking the lead in
the response to AIDS.

[MUSIC PLAYING]
UNAIDS banner is working
towards universal access

for HIV prevention, HIV
treatment, care, and support.

And our main role
is going to be,

besides making sure
that AIDS remains

on the political agenda,
is to make the money work

for people on the ground.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Cambodia is one of an
increasing number of countries

that have succeeded in
reducing the prevalence of HIV,

but some population groups--
especially young people--

are still at risk.
I think for future prevention
program, addressing drug user

and men who have
sex with men would

be the priorities for Cambodia.
[NON-ENGLISH]
Many of these young boys would
be selling sex because there's

an economic imperative.
They're poor.
They have very few
employment opportunities,

and so they're pushed
to selling sex.

[NON-ENGLISH]
[NON-ENGLISH]
[NON-ENGLISH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Youth involvement
in the AIDS response

is increasing and having an
impact in several countries.

In Washington, D.C., a volunteer
group of peer educators-- Metro

TeenAIDS-- go out and talk to
young people on the street.

Do you always, sometimes,
or never use condoms?

Always.
That's good.
I do this because I feel that
it's a need in the population

because a lot of people are
ignorant about HIV and AIDS.

And even if they
do know some facts,

they probably don't know all.
How about sexual--
gay, bisexual, other?

No.
You're always straight?
All right.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[NON-ENGLISH]
[LAUGHING]
In Mexico City, peer
educators are handing out

comic books on HIV/AIDS.
They openly discuss
youth sexuality issues

as part of their advocacy.
I work with as a volunteer
with the Global Youth Coalition

on HIV/AIDS, which is the
largest network of youth

activists around the world.
We are creating
a strong movement

that can advocate,
like, in 170 countries

around the world for the
involvement of young people.

[MUSIC PLAYING]
The City of Tver
on the Volga River

has one of the highest HIV
prevalence rates in Russia.

The city has become a
center for drug trafficking

and intravenous drug
use in the region.

[NON-ENGLISH]
[NON-ENGLISH DISCUSSION]
Prevention programs-- like
this, in a city high school--

are growing in numbers,
involving young people

in discussions about
their lifestyle.

[LAUGHING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Botswana, one of the
countries most affected

by AIDS in the world.
HIV prevention is scaled up
in every part of society.

The focus is on young
people, and HIV prevalence

has started to decline.
Here, a new generation
of African scientists

is emerging as part of
Botswana's increasing effort

to halt the epidemic.
This is hematology basically,
so we are running samples

from different patients.
Those are from the
national program,

like those which are funded
by the government on HIV

treatment.
We should have the development
partners worked with us

to identify our
needs to strengthen

our capacities and
our infrastructure,

both physical and human,
to be able to ultimately,

independently-- if
they were to pull out--

be able to control the epidemic.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The District of Namakkal
in the State of Tamil

Nadu in southern India has one
of the highest HIV prevalence

rates in the country, but
the situation is changing

and prevalence is falling
thanks to innovative centers

like the Government General
Hospital in Namakkal.

[BABY CRYING]
But HIV continues to
spread because Namakkal

is at the crossroads for a vast
number of long-distance truck

drivers who visit
female sex workers.

[NON-ENGLISH]
[NON-ENGLISH]
The prevention of
mother-to-child infection

of HIV program
must be integrated

with long-distance truck
driver's awareness program

because I have seen many
orphan children born to truck

drivers in the community.
[NON-ENGLISH]
[NON-ENGLISH]
[NON-ENGLISH]
[BACKGROUND NOISES]
Use condom.
Save your life.
Involving young
people has become

an increasingly important part
of the AIDS response in India.

[NON-ENGLISH]
Like this.
[NON-ENGLISH]
[NON-ENGLISH]
The leadership, when we
talk about that in UNAIDS,

that's not only for presidents
and prime ministers.

Of course, they need
to show leadership.

It's about survival of
the country in many cases,

but it's also leadership of
young people in their community

and taking your destiny
in your own hands.

That is development.
That is progress.
[MUSIC PLAYING]