YOUTH INTERVENTIONS
Youth and HIV/AIDS:
In India people in the age group of 15-29 years comprise almost 25 percent of the country’s population; however, they account for 31 percent of AIDS burden. This clearly indicates that young people are at high risk of contracting HIV infection.
What Makes Youth Vulnerable?
Physiologically, young people are more vulnerable to STIs than adults; girls more than boys. Gender imbalances, societal norms and economic dependence contribute to this risk.
Lack of access to correct information (almost 73 percent of young people have misconceptions about modes of HIV transmission), tendency to experiment and an environment which makes discussing issues around sexuality taboo adds to their vulnerability
Vulnerable groups:
Most young people become sexually active during adolescence. In the absence of right guidance and information at this stage they are more likely to have multi-partner unprotected sex with high risk behaviour groups. Particularly vulnerable are impoverished, unemployed, under-employed, mobile/migrant youth, adolescents in sex work, young injecting drug users and street children as they are faced with high risk behaviour in their everyday life. They are also less likely to have information on the risks of contracting HIV and means of protecting themselves from the infection. Such youth may face repeated risk of HIV infection through sexual exposure due to coercion or other compulsions.
Young women are biologically more vulnerable to HIV infection than young men – a situation aggravated by their lack of access to information on HIV and even lesser power to exercise control over their sexual lives. Early marriage also poses special risks to young people, particularly women. This is especially relevant for India, where almost 50 percent girls are married off by the time they are 18 years of age.
Activities |
Existing |
Target |
Achieved |
Red Ribbon Club Programme |
302 |
30 |
302 |
Adolescence Education Programme |
850 |
100 |
850 |
Out of school Youth Programme |
422 |
30 |
422 |
Red Ribbon Club Programme (RRCP):
The Significance of Red Ribbon in HIV & AIDS is: |
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Red like Love, as a symbol of passion and tolerance for those affected. Red like Blood, representing the pain caused by many people who have died of AIDS. Red like the Anger about the helplessness about which we are facing for a disease for which there is still no cure. Red as a sign of warning not to carelessly ignore one of the biggest problems of our time |
Red Ribbon Club (RRC):
Red Ribbon Club is a voluntary on-campus intervention programme for students in educational institutions. It is initiated and supported by the SACS and implemented through multi-sectoral collaboration, particularly using the services of cadre officers of the State. The club is proposed to be established in every college to provide youth with access to information on HIV/AIDS and voluntary blood donation. The club also works towards promotion of life skills to bring about behavioural change among the youth.
This program is started in 2011 and plans to cover 100% of the campuses in the State, through multisectoral collaboration with Educations Dept., NSS, NYK and Department of Youth Affairs.
Its objectives are :
- To reduce new infection among youth by raising their risk perception through awareness on sex, sexuality and HIV/AIDS
- To induce among youth the spirit to help and support people living with HIV/AIDS. thereby reducing stigma and discrimination against PLHIVs
- To motivate youth and build their capacity as peer educators and change agents by developing their skills on leadership negotiation and team building.
- To promote voluntary non remunerated blood donation among youth
Over 116 Red Ribbon Clubs have been formed in various colleges of Jammu and Kashmir (like Leh, Poonch, Baramulla, Kishtwar, Gool, Ramban, Sopore, Bandipora, Kokernag etc.) to create and provide opportunity to the zeal of volunteerism among youth to contribute in controlling and preventing the further spread of HIV/AIDS.
Under RRCP special focus is on stigma reduction for People Living with HIV/AIDS and promotion of Voluntary Blood Donation as well among the youth in educational institutions.
Important Days celebrated under RRCP:
- World Blood Donor Day - 14 June
- International Youth Day - 12th August
- National Voluntary Blood Donation Day - 1st October
- World AIDS Day - 1st December
- National Youth Day - 12th January
Adolescent Education Programme (AEP):
Adolescence education being a new curricular area with certain uniqueness, there is a need to develop capabilities among those who are engaged in its transaction, and more particularly the teachers who are key actors in the successful transaction of this curricular area especially focused on life skills development. The following training activities are, therefore conducted under AEP:
- Training of master trainers who in turn train the teachers, peer educators and other functionaries.
- Intensive training of teachers, peer educators and other functionaries for empowering them to transact this curricular area with ease, competence and need-based culture specific care; and also to hold regular consultations with parents and other critical target groups identified at different levels.
- Organization of life skills focused activities for students in and out of classrooms by teachers/peer educators; and
- Coordination and monitoring of various activities and the Programme.
450 High/Higher Secondary Schools of the state have been involved thereby covering the far flung areas like Kupwara, Akhnoor, Kathua, Anantnag etc. under AEP that work for the promotion of Voluntary Blood Donation as well as stigma reduction among the youth in educational institutions. IEC material for various facilities/services has been printed and is being distributed among the masses during awareness programmes.
Out of School Youth Programme:
Initiatives for Out-of-school Youth
A large number of young people aged 10-25 years, belonging to diverse groups of several sub-sets in terms of marital status and social background, are out of school in India. Their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is particularly high owing to their limited understanding of the infection. Since there is no proven model for reaching out to “out-of-school youth”’, a number of district-wide innovative programmes are initiated in all the states.
An analysis of 80 such youth-centric HIV prevention programmes provides a menu of options and tools for a scale-up for this target group. SACS are also implementing district-wide programmes on peer education to ensure coverage of 80 percent out-of-school youth in 59 high prevalence districts of India. Apart from this access to youth-friendly health services like counselling and treatment for STIs are being stepped up. Greater dialogue is being generated through innovative formats and platforms. Relevant messages on safe sex, sexuality and relationships are developed and disseminated for youth via posters, booklets, panels, hoardings and printed material.
Four Districts are covered in collaboration with Nehru Yuva Kendra and other NGOs to sensitize the youth under “Out of School Youth Programme” i.e. Jammu, Kathua, Anantnag & Srinagar. 40 Youth Clubs / Mehila Mandals have been formed to sensitise out of School Youth.
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