Youth pledge “I Set My Boundaries” for HIV prevention.

[RAJESH KUMAR SOOD]

Oct 13, 2012

Kangra, hIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

Challenges faced by today’s youth discussed at seminar

Different aspects of the challenges being faced by the youth were discussed at a district level training on “C-life” organised by the HP Sate AIDS Control Society at Tandon Club Kangra.

With the hormonal and psychological changes, boys are more likely to exhibit behavioural problems like aggressive behaviour, such as fighting and bullying; and girls are more likely to suffer emotional problems such as anxiety and depression.

Youth is the phase of career building, lack of responsible behaviour and tendency to experiment, inability to cope with stress can lead to experimentation with drugs and loss of vision in life.

In the present era, we are witnessing a phenomenal advancement in technology. Technology has influenced the way we think about life and threatened interpersonal human relations. Friends are now inside the computer, chatting on the net, creating society with growing numbers of self-centered individuals oblivious to the society around.

At the “Celebrating Life” Training workshop for peer educators of Red Ribbon Clubs youth were engaged in creating solutions to the challenges they face, incorporating youth development through approaches like self-awareness, promoting responsible behaviour,

The trained youth will become role models among the youth and further communicate with their peers to promote informed & responsible choices, be Bold” to talk about HIV AIDS & say “NO” to negative peer pressures & thus lead the HIV prevention revolution.

Youth pledge “I Set My Boundaries” for HIV prevention.

“Celebrating Life” training programme promotes responsible behaviour among youth.

Youth are Vulnerable to HIV and & Gender-based Violence, due to lack of skills to negotiate peer pressure. To tackle the challenge among the youth, the best approach is to build capacity of young people who can communicate with their peers & lead the HIV prevention efforts through informed & responsible choices -thus emerging as role models among the youth.

Dr RK Sood District AIDS Programme Officer stated the third in the series of “Celebrating Life” - Training programme of HP Sate AIDS Control Society to develop abilities for positive and responsible behaviour among youth peer educators, was organised at Tandon Club Kangra. Youth enhanced their self-esteem & confidence with the commitment- “I value myself”; they set their self-control with the pledge “I Set My Boundaries”; they accepted the values of mutual respect with the statement “I Care about Everyone” & “I enjoy my rights with responsibility”.

The workshop also focussed on Promoting Gender Equity & Responsibility as a Strategy to Reduce HIV Risk & Gender-based Violence. Existing gender norms include gender-based violence, harassment or teasing of young women by men, sexual abuse of women as expressions of masculinity. Often these gender norms encourage roles and behaviours that are inequitable and harmful, which can place men and their sexual partners at risk of various negative health outcomes, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Youth discussed about healthy attitudes behaviours for men versus women and treating the females as humans rather than sex objects. Youth denounced eve teasing and derogatory remarks passed against women. The trained will further interact with young people to inspire their peers to “be Bold” to talk about HIV AIDS & say NO to negative peer pressures.

Youth deliberated on difference between infatuation/ attraction, and love. Vijay Kumar resource person discussed concept of “Responsible relationship”. Youth reiterated that they will go into relationship only after building their academic capacity, financial capacity and also the social compatibility for a healthy & successful life. Dr Sood added that for the AIDS Awareness messages of the RRCs to be believed, he called on peer educators to practice what they teach. “To accomplish this, young people in RRCs must change their behaviour if necessary, communicate effectively, and become role models for their friends”.

Equipping young people with knowledge and life skills helps preventing HIV spread, in building self-confidence and thereby building a better tomorrow”. Nikhil Sharma Lecturer DIET cum trainer life skills added that the Red Ribbon Clubs (RRCs) in educational institutions focus on “celebrating life” responsibly through approaches like instilling self-esteem, values like caring for others, setting one’s boundaries, respecting other boundaries and personality development of youth. Peer educators from Red Ribbon clubs were equipped with life skills, gender sensitivity, basic information about HIV & STI, inculcated positive behaviours through “Ten Commitments” to protect themselves.