Challenging HIV and AIDS

WHAT WE DO

Impact of AIDS on children

AIDS is threatening children as never before.

Globally, children under 15 account for 1 in 6 global AIDS-related deaths and 1 in 7 new global HIV infections. A child under 15 dies of an AIDS-related illness every minute of every day, a young person aged 15–24 gets infected with HIV every 15 seconds while 15 million children are already orphaned by AIDS.

In Malaysia, an average of 10 people tested HIV-positive daily in 2008. Of the 84,630 people infected in Malaysia, almost 40% occur in people below the age of 29. Mother to child transmission of HIV has increased from 0.2% in 1991 to 1.4% in 2008.

Impact of AIDS on Children

Psychosocial Distress
Parent’s illness and death causes extreme psychosocial distress – worsened by stigma and shame attached to HIV and AIDS.

Economic Hardship
With parents unable to work, and savings spent on care, children could be asked to take on adult responsibilities of caring for the sick and supporting the family.

Education and Schooling
The pressure of earning and caring for parents and siblings can lead children to attend school infrequently or totally withdraw from school. The pressure to abandon schooling intensifies when one or both parents die.

Malnutrition and Illness
Children, especially orphans are more likely to be malnourished or fall ill and less likely to get care that they need. Poverty is the root cause, but neglect and discrimination by adults in whose care they have been left are also important factors.

Loss of Inheritance
Orphans are regularly cheated out of their inheritance.

Fear and Isolation
Dispossessed orphans may be forced out to unfamiliar and hostile places.

Increased Risk to HIV Infection
Impoverished and without parents to educate and protect them, orphans and affected children face abuse and risk, including possible HIV infection. Many are forced into exploitative and dangerous work – including exchanging sex for money; food; protection; and shelter.

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Children, the missing face of AIDS

Impact of AIDS on children

Campaign objectives

Call to action

What you can do

Meeting the challenge through partnerships

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