HIV/AIDS and Employment: Protecting Young People and Involving Them in

Work-Related Solutions

Education Development Center’s Health & Human Development

Programs

Wendy Santis, M.S.YES/Mexico 2004

Discussion Topics• The HIV/AIDS Epidemic: What is it doing?

Where is it going?

• Addressing HIV/AIDS in the workplace

• Roles young people can play in responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis

• How to create sustainable livelihoods

Global estimatesfor adults and children • 40 million people living with

HIV/AIDS in 2003• 5 million new HIV infections in

2003

• 3 million deaths from HIV/AIDS in 2003

• 2.5 million young people infected in 2003

The Interest of EDC/HHD: Youth Livelihoods and HIV/AIDS: The

Connection• Poverty heightens HIV/AIDS vulnerability for

young people• Infected youth face harsher economic realities• HIV increases economic problems for youth from

AIDS-affected families• Girls and young women are more vulnerable to

the economic factors that fuel the spread of the epidemic

• Unemployed youth are more vulnerable to migration and engage in risky sex

Roles young people can play in responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis

• Peer educators in NGOs• School-based health prevention specialists• Activists and advocates for more action• Counselors in clinics • Researchers and sales representatives in

pharmaceuticals• Providers of care and services to the sick• Creators of alternative services to educate

orphans

Case study #1Center for the Study of AIDS

South Africa

• Volunteer program involving youth in HIV/AIDS work

• Peer counseling, outreach, prevention education, research, and policy

• Graduates of the program have found paid HIV/AIDS work

Case study #2YES/Kenya

• Assisting young people to access credit so they can start their own businesses

• Using theater, puppetry and poetry to disseminate information on HIV/AIDS

Recommendations• Identify and develop opportunities in HIV/AIDS work• Create awareness of opportunities• Provide skills training and mentoring• Train youth in business skills and provide access to

financial services• Develop vocational education and job training

programs• Provide training in enterprise development and

business development services• Increase access to financial services• Link policy and programs: governments and private

sector