HIV/AIDS
Issue HIV/AIDS is a rising threat among youth in Tajikistan. Though the Ministry of Health estimated that around 4,000 people had been infected by the end of 2004, the officially reported incidence is low, with 506 cases in 2005. The actual number is believed to be 20 times higher. Young people comprise one fifth of the population of Tajikistan. They are typically marginalized and lack confidence. This is due to limited opportunities, poverty, unemployment and drugs. Because of the trend towards early marriage and unprotected sex, as well as the increasing use of injecting drugs, young people are now more at risk from sexually transmitted infections. Indeed, most HIV/AIDS patients are young drug users. Young people in Tajikistan have poor access to good information. There is a taboo on sexual education in families, and the absence of youth-friendly health services and life-skills education in formal and non-formal educational settings means that young people are not learning about the dangers of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and drug use, including individual protective measures. Voluntary, anonymous counselling and testing for young people are limited. A 2003 rapid assessment and response survey found that almost 90 per cent of especially vulnerable young people, such as injecting drug users, commercial sex workers and street children, share needles, are sexually active and have multiple sex partners, while only about 17 per cent sometimes rely on condoms during sex. Estimates place the number of injecting drug users in the tens of thousands. (Tajikistan is the first stop on the principal route for the transport of drugs out of Afghanistan.) Action One of the leading priorities of UNICEF worldwide is the organization's commitment to ensuring that young people, both girls and boys, have the knowledge and support needed to resist HIV/AIDS-risk situations, along with sufficient life skills to enable meaningful participation and active contributions in building society. Impact The advocacy efforts of UNICEF and its partners in Tajikistan have led to a recognition that the problem of HIV/AIDS may reach substantial proportions if early preventive measures are not adopted. The Government has therefore taken decisive steps to address the issue and halt the spread of HIV/AIDS. The National Programme on Youth Friendly Services, a policy document supported by UNICEF, has been distributed among ministries and civil society organizations for review. The document represents an important advocacy tool for reducing risks and improving protective capacities by promoting a communication strategy based on behaviour change as a means of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people. It aims at forestalling an HIV/AIDS epidemic by publicizing accurate information about the risks of transmission and by ensuring the reliability and availability of voluntary, anonymous counselling and testing. With the support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, significant improvements have implemented in HIV diagnostic laboratory facilities in the country. The national and 13 district diagnostic laboratories have received modern testing equipment. This has contributed to enhanced testing and the early detection of cases. At the same time, the improvement in laboratory services has permitted the strengthening of voluntary, anonymous testing and the provision of consulting services to the population. However, access to voluntary, anonymous testing and advisory services is provided only in the national and district-level AIDS centres. This is not sufficient and calls for additional measures. Since HIV testing became available in the country, the number of newly identified cases has been growing daily. Official statistics indicate that the 20-29 age group is most affected. The life-skills health education programme gives young people the tools they need to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and drug abuse. It also provides access to child- and youth-friendly information and services so that young people can make informed choices and lead healthy lives.
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