Youth responses to the HIV/AIDS crisis: a case study of New Juaben municipality, Ghana

Demographic trends show that about 50 percent of Africa's population is below the age of 18 years and an extraordinary high percentage of it between the ages of 15-25. This makes Africa the most “youthful” continent in the world. Despite this many young people have little or no access to education, employment and health care. Worst still, over the past two decades, HIV and Syphilis infection has been a major crisis confronting the younger generation of Africa. Ghana, like many other African countries has a youthful population structure with a fast growing rate of HIV infection. How are the youth coping and imagining their lives and future in the face of these difficult conditions? What is the role of young people in programmes related to prevention and rolling back of the pandemic? What are the obstacles facing the youth in the fight against the HIV pandemic? The study explores these issues with special reference to the youth of the New Juaben Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana. It argues that, the youth constitutes an important pillar around which the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic could be waged, sustained and won. Yet the role played by the youth and youth organizations is often underestimated partly because it is not systematically analysed. Doubtlessly, without the participation of the youth in local community based and non-governmental organizations dedicated to HIV/AIDS prevention activities, many of the strategies and targets set by the country in general and local communities in particular for responding to HIV/AIDS would be difficult to achieve. Yet the youth and youth organizations are faced with considerable constraints that threaten the sustenance of their HIV/AIDS intervention activities. For Ghana to sustain and achieve the desired impact in the battle against the pandemic, it is crucial that HIV/AIDS intervention programmes target the youth. In addition, the stakeholders must recognise the contributions and the roles of the younger generation and provide them with the needed technical and financial support. Institute of African Studies: Research Review Vol. 22 (2) 2006: pp 77-9