Enhancing Youth Involvement in HIV Prevention Policy and Community Health Advocacy in Nigeria

Abstract

However, HIV infection is a major public health problem in Nigeria, especially for Adolescents and young people, experiences social, economic and structural vulnerabilities that continue to put them at risk of infection. Even though there have been great strides in HIV prevention, treatment and awareness campaigns, stigma, misinformation, poverty, lack of access to youth-friendly services and lack of youth engagement in the policy process persist and hinder prevention. This policy brief reviews the critical need to enhance Nigeria's youth engagement in HIV prevention policy and community health advocacy. The study presents qualitative data gathered from Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with youth and health workers in Taraba State and examines both the level of HIV knowledge and the risk factors, service access barriers, level of youth engagement and opportunities for policy reform. The results show that while HIV knowledge has grown, misconceptions and HIV stigma along with risky sexual behaviours and under involvement of the youth remain substantial. Participants also stressed that young people have a desire to take part in prevention efforts and can do so if they receive the appropriate training, resources, and opportunities to do so. The report calls for the institutionalisation of youth participation in HIV programmes, increased youth friendly services, more peer education programmes and incorporating youth voices in policy development, execution and monitoring.