HIV and Health Education
UNESCO's Office in Dakar, Senegal dressed up for World AIDS Day on 1 December 2011. ©UNESCO/Anne Müller
It is estimated that 35 million people were living with HIV in the world at the end of 2013. The highest number of people living with HIV was in sub-Saharan Africa—24.7 million people (70.6%).
Despite this alarming situation, joint actions by governments, civil society and international organizations are gradually paying off. The rate of new infections is on the decline. In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV treatment is now available to almost four in ten people living with HIV.
In WCA 61% of people in need of treatment do not benefit from it. Efforts need to be done to ensure that populations that are underserved and at higher risk of HIV are also part of the HIV response.
In sub-Saharan Africa, just three countries—Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda—account for 48% of all new HIV infections. Entire countries are being left behind—for example, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria—are facing the triple threat of high HIV burden, low treatment coverage and no or little decline in new HIV infections. In WCA 4 countries account for more than 75% of people living with HIV (Nigeria, Cameroon, DRC, Côte d’Ivoire).
In WCA HIV prevalence varies from 0.2% to 6.2%. However, prevalence is much higher in key populations at higher risk of HIV exposure. A lack of data on people most affected by HIV, coupled with widespread stigma and discrimination, punitive legal environments, barriers to civil society engagement and lack of investment in tailored programmes are holding back results. There is a need for equal access to quality HIV services as both a human rights and public health imperative. Focusing on populations that are underserved and at higher risk of HIV will be key to ending the AIDS epidemic.
Also in sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women account for one in four new HIV infections. Too many adolescent girls report that their first sexual experience was forced, while numerous studies demonstrate that partner violence increases the risk for HIV and unwanted pregnancies.
UNESCO's approach
The education sector has a unique contribution to make. Schools provide an excellent environment and opportunity to reach a large number of young people through prevention education initiatives that adequately prepare them with the knowledge and skills needed to make responsible choices about their sexual lives. UNESCO Interventions in WCA can be summed up around UNESCO’s three strategic priorities:
- Build country capacity for effective and sustainable education responses to HIV. This includes strengthening capacities to collect data through EMIS in order to provide evidence of the education sector contribution to the HIV response.
- Strengthen comprehensive HIV and Sexuality education. In this area UNESCO relies on in-depth analyses of current programmes to identify the most relevant interventions, such as supporting teacher training, creating synergies among stakeholders, or fostering the development of culturally appropriate HIV and reproductive health education.
- Advance gender equality and protect human rights. Interventions in WCA focus on promoting safe learning environments for educators and learners, starting with the development of new modules to enhance the integration of gender issues, or stigma and discrimination, in classroom activities.