More youth involvement urged on AIDS

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged governments to involve young people in tackling the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. Speaking at a the recent annual YouthAIDS benefit in New York, Annan said: "We must maximise the participation of young people in prevention and care. We must work for a massive increase in education programmes and services for young people - especially for girls, orphans and other vulnerable children." Research shows that about one-third of the estimated 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS across the globe are under the age of 25. He said while young people made up more than half of the world's new infections, they were also pioneers of prevention programmes and were effectively educating their peers about the disease and helping to take care of the ill. "Wherever they have been empowered with the knowledge, skills and means to protect themselves, they have succeeded in battling HIV/AIDS," Annan added.