Vice President to launch anti-AIDS YUVA programme tomorrow

New Delhi, Jun 26 (UNI) Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat will launch nationwide YUVA (Youth Unite for Victory on AIDS) programme tomorrow to deal with the AIDS epidemic looming large in the country.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mani Shankar Aiyar will preside over the function. On this occasion, the YUVA implementation plan and the YUVA training manual for implementing organizations will be released.

The function will also witness, among other things, a curtain raiser on national quiz programme on Youth and Sexual Health by Siddarth Basu, launch of a web-based Quiz on Youth and Sexual Health and release of a Question Bank and Training Manual on Adolescent Health and Development.

YUVA, a five year plan and action agenda, prepared by the Ministry of Youth Affairs&Sports in collaboration with National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), envisages to reach out to the adolescents and youth in all parts of the country to ensure that by 2010, all young people have accurate information, skills and access to HIV prevention services/facilities in a conducive, safe and supportive environment.

The need arises as semographically, India has become a young country today as more than 70 percent of the population is now under the age of 35. Out of this, 33.8 per cent come under 15-34 age category. The number of adolescents alone (10 to 19) has crossed 230 million. Thus, now every second Indian is a young Indian but yet young women and men are steadily emerging as the epicentre of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The substantial segment of this critical sub population is out of school, sexually active, marry early, migrate for work in vulnerable situations and are exposed to a negative peer pressure and risk environment.

YUVA's target is to cover 50 per cent of young people by 2007, 65 per cent by 2008, 75 per cent by 2009 and 95 per cent by 2010 and sustain the momentum through mainstreaming. These goals are proposed to be achieved through involvement of all youth volunteer networks in the country, the youth NGOs, youth clubs and youth development centers.

The Ministry and NACO has proposed to set up Youth Friendly Information Centre/Services (YFIC) in youth development centers and universities to provide youth oriented counseling, life skill education, recreation and guidance in a confidential and enabling environment.

The Nehru Yuva Kendra Sansthan and Panchayati Raj Institutions are also proposed to involve in this process so that young people in all the villages know what to do to avoid exposure to risk situations, HIV and STD infections and lead a responsible and productive life.

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