December 1, 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, an effort to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS issues, including the need for support and understanding for people living with HIV/AIDS. The day is also an opportunity to highlight the need for continued development of education and prevention.

HIV and AIDS affects children and

young people most of all. Half of all new HIV infections – around 6,000 a day – are among young people aged 14–24. Every day, almost 2,000 babies are infected with HIV during pregnancy, birth or through breastfeeding.

This threat is not only to their own health; estimates show that some 16 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS and another 40 million will be orphaned in the next 10 years.

Save the Children adopts a number of approaches across the world to tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS. We work with local partners to prevent infection by educating children and families.

 

The Youth Outreach Project in Papua New Guinea works through recruiting, training and supporting street teams of young people who spread messages about safe sex, , distribute condoms and information, education and communication materials, and provide basic psychosocial support and referral to local health centres.

Save the Children's Poro Sapat Project trains and supports Papua New Guinea's two most vulnerable groups to HIV and AIDS - women in sex work and men who have sex with men. 

The Tingim Laip Project combats HIV and sexually transmitted disease at specific sites like major towns and transport routes where transmission is known to be highly prevalent.

Save the Children also works in partnership with Papua New Guinea's government by introducing sexual health services to Goroka and strengthening existing services in Kainantu and rural Bena sub-district. 

Save the Children's HIV and AIDS project in Vanuatu uses education and awareness to encourage communities to support people with HIV and AIDS, and to assist children who have lost relatives to the disease.

The number of children orphaned due to HIV and AIDS stands at 70,000 and is fastly growing.  Our program Supporting Orphans and Vulnerable Children helps children affected by HIV and AIDS by providing food parcels, transport for medical care, access to education and individual counselling and advice.

The Youth Peer Education Project in Lao PDR usese live performances, national events and study visits to raise young people's awareness of HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, drug abuse and trafficking.

In the Solomon Islands, Save the Children Australia’s HIV and AIDS Prevention Project supports two government clinics to provide services such as treatment,

counselling and testing for HIV. The project also conducts training to high risk groups such as sex workers to promote behavioural change.