Care for us and accept us we are all human beings. We are normal. We have hands. We have feet.

. We can walk, we can talk, we have needs just live everyone else dont be afraid of us we are all the same! - An Aids Patient

Every minute five people around the world between the ages of 10 and 24 are infected with HIV. There are 2.5 million children under the age of 15 living with the disease worldwide.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of new infections occurs among young people between the ages of 15 and 24. The total number of children orphaned by AIDS 13.2 million as of 2006 is expected to more than double by 2010. Of the 3 million who died of AIDS in 2003, 500,000 were children.

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News Flash : Facts you should Know.

| Aids Out Life In | Children Infected & Affected |

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"Helping kids understand about AIDS is the most important thing I do. Some kids like to pretend that it's not happening in the world. By letting them know what's really going on, I might save someone's life. Hydeia L. Broadbent AIDS patient and activist.

educate

HIV: the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a retrovirus that attacks the cells of the immune system. HIV is transmitted through an exchange of bodily fluids. (e.g. exposure to infected blood, during sexual activity with an infected individual, by sharing needles). It can also pass from an infected mother to her child. HIV is the virus that eventually causes AIDS.

educate

AIDS: an Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome diagnosis is made when symptoms that indicate the disease (primarily a decrease in the number of immune system cells in a persons bloodstream) are identified by a doctor in a HIV-positive person.

educate

CRC: the Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international treaty that recognizes the human rights of the children, defined as persons up to the age of 18 years. It ensure the rights to survival, development, protection and participation of all children without discrimination.

CSEC [Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children] comprises sexual abuse by the adult and remuneration in cash or kind to the child or a third person or persons. The child is treated as a sexual object and as a commercial object. (World Conference Against CSEC)

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North America 10000

Western Europe 5000

Eastern Europe 12000

Pacific 3000

Caribbean 20000

North America & Middle East 40000

Central Asia 20000

South East Asia 240000

Latin America 45000

Africa 2.8 Million

East Asia 4500

Aus&NZ 3000

Children (<15 Years) estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS as of end of 2002

Why do Children have HIV/Aids

Most children under 15 who have HIV/AIDS are infected through their infected mothers that is, through mother child transmission...this occurs during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding after birth. Sexual activity (the main route of disease transmission) starts in adolescence for most people worldwide. Young people who are uninformed about HIV/AIDS transmission risk becoming infected. Poverty, lack of education, lack of medical resources, and the commercial sexual exploitation of children also help spread HIV/AIDS among children worldwide.

But

Adolescent girls and young women

are at a disproportionately high risk of contracting HIV/ AIDS.

Girls are physiologically more vulnerable to infection. Gender-based inequities mean girls and women are more likely to be poor and powerless, hence are more vulnerable to sexual exploitation and HIV/AIDS infection. Violence against girls in the form of forced or coerced sex, or CSEC also increase their chances of becoming infected.

How are Children affected?

Children with HIV/AIDS have weaker immune systems and are more susceptible to other illnesses. Children with HIV/AIDS may be stigmatized and/ or rejected from their families and communities. this discrimination fosters ignorance about HIV/AIDS and stigma against testing for, treating the disease. This in turn makes it difficult to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Children are orphaned when their parents die from HIV/AIDS.

What can we do?

Educate yourself about HIV/AIDS.

Advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness! Begin a social awareness/human rights club.

Contact local, state, and national politicians for support for HIV/ AIDS. Write letters asking for their opinion on HIV/AIDS.

Talk to your parents about HIV/AIDS. Educate the adults in your life!

Be Safe! This could be your Child.