Meeting Report: 12th–13th November 2002, Delhi, India

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has radically changed the world in which we live today and young people are at the heart of this pandemic. According to the 2002 UNAIDS statistics, the epidemic claimed more than 3 million lives this year, and an estimated 5 million acquired the HIV virus – bringing the total number of people infected globally to 42 million.

The comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda of IPPF means that the prevention of HIV/AIDS and the fight against the discrimination of those affected and infected with the virus is a strategic component of our work. Furthermore IPPF is committed to ensuring the participation of young people in sexual and reproductive health and rights programme development and implementation, as reflected in the 1998 Youth Manifesto.

Therefore, based on the urgent need to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis and on the ippf/youth manifesto, the 4th Youth Working Group came together in a spirit of co-operation to discuss the complex issues around “combating discrimination and stigmatization to promote solidarity” in relation to young people and HIV/AIDS.

The 15 members of this Youth Working Group came from different Family Planning Associations across the six regions of IPPF. They were a very diverse group with a wealth of experience informed by different social and cultural backgrounds. By sharing their experiences and examining the causes, consequences and possible solutions relating to the prevention of HIV/AIDS and related discrimination, they played a crucial role in feeding into the direction of IPPF’s youth strategy.

This report documents the outcomes and key recommendations of the meeting together with the tools used by the facilitators. We hope that it will be a source of information and motivation for future initiatives on young people and sexual and reproductive health.