The World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year since 1988, is dedicated to raising awareness about the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. AIDS has estimated to have killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2011, and an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide lived with HIV as of 2007, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history.World AIDS Day this year is about "Getting to Zero." Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths. Backed by the United Nations, the "Getting to Zero" campaign runs until 2015 and builds on last years successful "Light for Rights" initiative encompassing a range of vital issues identified by key affected populations. This year is especially significant as 2011 marks 30 years after AIDS was first discovered as a new disease; 10 years after the United Nations General Assembly Special Session Political Declaration on AIDS, and five years after the Global Declaration towards Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.This is a significant point in the fight against HIV/AIDS especially for Nigeria where 3.3 million people are living with HIV and approximately 222,000 people died from AIDS in 2009. This is an unforgiving epidemic that strikes in surprising ways, and the epidemic is still not over. We are in this for the long haul. First, we must do a much better job of prevention, this is the only way to get ahead and ensure an adequate long term response to help our children, young people and adults so as to save the social cost that goes with this epidemic.Im young, therefore, I am writing about how youth-led solutions can combat HIV/AIDS. If we must fight AIDS, we must realise that old strategies need to be improved upon, research needs to be transformed to policies and from policy, we have to act as we cannot afford to ignore the innovation, energy and enthusiasm of young people in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Even though so many young people have passion, no competence; this is not so different from so many adults with competence but no character. Or how do we explain so much funds invested only to have percentage decrease in the paper and so many children losing their parents to HIV/AIDS on ground'As the author of the book, HIV/AIDS- the future of the infected and affected, and a member of the monitoring and evaluation research team to the 5th World Youth Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, I was part of a team that evaluated youth-led development projects from 100 countries and I have since discovered that any social problem that ignores the leadership of young people does so at its own peril. Youth-led development project is any initiative designed and implemented by a young person/people which aims to improve the lives and livelihoods of people around the world. The time has never been better to invest in young people, the number of people worldwide aged 12-24 has reached 1.3 billion, the largest in history. It is also the wealthiest and best educated- a strong base to build on in a world that demands more than basic skills. Todays youths are tomorrows workers, entrepreneurs, parents, active citizens, and, indeed, leaders. And, because of falling fertility, they will have fewer children than their parents as they move through adulthood. This in turn may boost growth- by raising the share of the population that is working and boosting household savings. Rich and poor countries alike need to seize this opportunity before the aging of societies closes it. Doing so will enable them to grow faster and reduce poverty even further. Young people all over the world should not be seen as problems but assets to their communities. Investing in young people strongly contributes to the worlds overarching mission to fight HIV/AIDS. The youths have comparative advantages in several areas and we must promote them. For example: while the youths are digital nativeshaving grown up with new technologies, elders are digital immigrants; youths are more capable learnersof new languages, skills, technologies; most young people are happy to live in global communitiesblind to differences of colour, ethnicity and culture, youths nowadays are mobileeager to travel and experience living in different cultures. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is increasingly a problem of youths, especially in parts of the developing world. The United Nations has noted with grave concern the fact that new HIV infections are heavily concentrated among youths and that there is a lack of information available to help them to understand their sexuality, including their sexual and reproductive health, in order to increase their ability to protect themselves from HIV infection and sexually transmitted diseases and to prevent unwanted pregnancies.To all young people, lets ignore competition and work together; learn from one another and enhance our capabilities in order to combat HIV/AIDS and to the adults, where ever you are, please strive to create a platform conducive to the emergence of young leaders.Owolabi wrote in from HACEYs Health Initiative, 3, Mabinuori Street, Shangisha, Ketu, Lagos via isaiahowolabi@hotmail.com
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