UNESCO | Education - HIV/AIDS preventive education in Africa

HIV/AIDS preventive education in Africa

HIV/AIDS in Africa: the vital role of preventive education

HIV/AIDS is threatening to wipe out decades of investments in education and in human development, particularly in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The pandemic is likely to claim the lives of 10 per cent of teachers within the coming 5 years, and 20 per cent of school-age children will be AIDS orphans.

HIV/AIDS has a devastating impact on school systems, on the demand for education, on its availability and quality. It is hence a considerable obstacle to reaching Education For All goals. Protecting a new generation from getting the virus is integral to the future of education systems.

Some African countries have launched ambitious programmes to combat the effect of HIV/AIDS. A major effort in Senegal has prevented an epidemic and maintained one of the lowest infection rates in the region; reproductive health and sexuality are now taught in schools. After HIV infection rose to 10 per cent of adults in Uganda, the government introduced urgent measures to raise awareness, reduce risky behaviour and help people living with HIV/AIDS. This resulted in reduced HIV prevalence.