The battle against HIV/AIDS and its devastating impact is the area of increasing concern to the UNESCO as a whole. UNESCO's focus on preventive education represents an important niche in the worldwide campaign to arrest and reverse this scourge.
HIV/AIDS is a social issue. It involves every human being. But young people and especially young girls are among the most affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
From the beginning of the pandemic some powerful metaphors were built around the HIV/AIDS. These metaphors produced and spread by the mass media strength the stigmatization and discrimination. Moreover, they make some people have inexact ideas about the disease and deny that they are able to be infected by the virus or affected by the AIDS.
Good communication on HIV/AIDS can allow young people to revise the metaphors and stigmas and to develop new projects in order to prevent the virus. Therefore, awareness-raising campaigns supported by non-formal education and access to information sources are crucial for reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among youth.
UNESCO has undertaken a number of activities with the aim to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention among young people based on the new possibilities offered by ICT, such as online information, media campaigns and youth information centres. It continues to promote access to comprehensive and reliable youth-friendly information in quest of behavioural changes with the special emphasis on disadvantaged young people.
