Teenager's HIV/AIDS Awareness Days
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), has held awareness days for teenagers (13-17 years old) focusing on the threat of HIV/AIDS, its prevalence in the Arab World, the means for its transmission, and various prevention methods.
The first one was held at the UN house in Riyadh with invitations sent to teenagers from the diplomatic community. According to UNDP, the turn out was not great but the ripple effect was exactly what they had hoped for. The teens were very interested and the media - Saudi, Pan Arab and Reuters - covered it very well. As a result, they had calls from international schools in Saudi Arabia to hold the same for their students.
The first one was held at the UN house in Riyadh with invitations sent to teenagers from the diplomatic community. According to UNDP, the turn out was not great but the ripple effect was exactly what they had hoped for. The teens were very interested and the media - Saudi, Pan Arab and Reuters - covered it very well. As a result, they had calls from international schools in Saudi Arabia to hold the same for their students.
Communication Strategies
The workshops are for teenagers ages 13 to 17 and they include a basic presentation on HIV/AIDS - the definition, transmission modes, prevention ways, some statistics and short stories. After this presentation, the organisers attempt to involve the youth in activities. They provide the teens with case studies, all collected from activities actually held for adult workshops but tailor-made to fit the teenagers' world, including an HIV positive test simulation and a loss exercise. All of these aim at increasing the teens' awareness of what HIV/AIDS can do to them, their families and their friends. The workshops also stress the importance of de-stigmatisation, understanding and tolerance.
Development Issues
HIV/AIDS, Youth.
Key Points
UNDP plans to take this initiative to the government in the hope of getting this kind of awareness campaign included in the curriculum of the national schools and encourage further people to hold such workshops.
Partners
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Saudi Arabia, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Sources
Email from Mayssam Tamim to The Communication Initiative, May 30 2006.
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