By Cassandra Tse

HIV and AIDS can affect anyone. Since it was first reported in the 1980s, myths and mistruths have sprung up about the condition leading to ignorance and discrimination. This ignorance has, in part, led to the spread of HIV and AIDS throughout the world and prejudice has made many people who know little about the condition blame or ostracise the victim.

Young survivors of HIV and AIDS, also known as “positive people”, face more than a life threatening condition. The attitudes of those around them can cause just as much suffering. The courageous young people who have to cope with this illness every day of their lives deserve our admiration.

“I received HIV through breastfeeding from my mom and my mom received it through a blood transfusion. When the doctor told me, I froze, then bent my head and cried… I looked at my mom and her eyes were full of tears.”
Haylie, 14

However, people with HIV can live ordinary, even extraordinary lives. Being HIV-positive doesn’t mean you cannot live until old age, find understanding and support, and fulfil your dreams of a starting a family, or building a successful career - it’s possible to rise above this hurdle. Fifteen-year-old Nic wrote about her life as a “positive person” on Avert.org, a website dedicated to young HIV and AIDS sufferers:

“Live life to the fullest and never give up on your dreams. I know I haven’t. I wake up every morning and I tell myself that I’m going to live one more day, if only to see my friends embarrass themselves again, or to walk down the hall at school screaming rock songs at top my lungs. I know that one day, I will die, but I plan to life a live that is as full as I can make it.”
Nic, 15.

Some Facts

1. The UN Convention for the Rights of the Child is the most subscribed to human rights treaty in history - only two countries are yet to adopt it: the United States and Somalia.
2. One out of six children in the world today is involved in child labour, doing work that is damaging to his or her mental, physical and emotional development.
3. The UN Convention for the Rights of the Child is the most subscribed to human rights treaty in history - only two countries are yet to adopt it: the United States and Somalia.
4. One out of six children in the world today is involved in child labour, doing work that is damaging to his or her mental, physical and emotional development.
5. Worldwide, it is estimated that 2.1 million young people are living with HIV, while more than 15 million children under 18 have been orphaned as a result of AIDS.

TAKE ACTION!

• Stop and think about the young people In New Zealand and all over the world that face adversity everyday!
• Discuss the issues with other young people at www.justfocus.org.nz
• Try and raise awareness about the issues - talk to your friends, lobby influential people to support the cause, share your opinion in the local media or online.
• Join the fight against discrimination and prejudice, at the Global Youth Coalition on HIV and AIDS www.youthaidscoalition.org

LEARN MORE

Find out more about the Convention on the Rights of the Child www.unicef.org/crc
Unite for Children against AIDS - www.uniteforchildren.org
Human Rights Watch - www.hrw.org - child labour

This article was originally published in the Global Focus pages of Tearaway Magazine.

Tags: children and young people, HIV/AIDS

This entry was posted on Friday, July 31st, 2009 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Articles, Economics & Trade, Human Rights & Social Justice, Peace and Conflict. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.