On the first day of the youth pre-conference, I am sad to say that I didn't get to go! Engrossed in the requisite 9-5 student summer job, I am left to ponder youth and AIDS from afar and draw the conclusion that we are gravely under-represented. With less than one youth delegate for every 100 adult delegates, I think it is reasonable to ask, why is there such disproportion?
To my knowledge, more than half of the five million people infected each year by HIV are youth. Then how come there is not a bigger push to bring youth representation to the AIDS Conference? With exorbitant registration fees (from a youth perspective) and the high costs of accommodation within the host city, it is understandable that such a small youth contingent is present. Unless an individual is financially stable or has the strong support of an organization behind them, it is virtually impossible to find a way to finance such a long and costly trip.
I guess the big question here is, what can we do as youth to support the rest? Having the opportunity to blog and pass on the stories and events of the conference to youth around the world is one amazing way to spread the opportunity around. But perhaps for future conferences, local youthforces will be able to put together programs to support delegate fees, and/or push for lowered costs for youth wishing to participate.
I feel privileged to have been sent to the XVI International AIDS Conference by Five Minutes to Midnight (www.fiveminutestomidnight.org), a human rights publication for and by youth, and so I promise to do all that I can to share my experience and make it a collective memory. For all those who can’t be here with us this week, you are in our thoughts.
