How HIV/AIDS affects Children and Youth

"AIDS is redefining the very meaning of childhood for millions, depriving children of many of their human rights – of the care, love and affection of their parents; of their teachers and other role models; of education and options for the future; of protection against exploitation and abuse. The world must act now, urgently and decisively, to ensure that the next generation of children is AIDS-free.”

UNICEF, A Call to Action: Children, the missing face of AIDS

Every day about 1,800 children become infected with HIV, and the majority of them are newborn. In 2007, there were approximately 2.5 million children under the age of 15 living with HIV worldwide. It is also estimated that as of 2005 15.2 million children under 18 lost one or both parents to AIDS, and that millions more are at risk of experiencing poverty, homelessness, school drop-out, discrimination, loss of opportunities and an early death. (Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS). Nearly 90% of all HIV-positive children live in sub-Saharan Africa (UNAIDS, 2007).

Children are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in varying, and unique ways. Although the majority of children are infected through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), it does not negate the overwhelming amount of children infected through sexual abuse and exploitation, primarily among orphaned children, as well as voluntary sexual activity among young adults aged 15-24.

An HIV-positive pregnant woman can pass on the virus to her baby in the womb, during birth, or post-natally through breastfeeding. If the woman does not breastfeed, the risk of mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) of HIV is around 15-30%. With prolonged breastfeeding, the risk is augmented to as high as 30-45%. However, transmission can be significantly reduced with intervention. If a short course of antiretroviral drugs is given to mother and baby around the time of delivery, combined with replacement feeding, the risk for transmission can be reduced by up to 50%. Although the universal access has not been achieved, the percentage of HIV positive women receiving antiretroviral drugs to prevent mother-to-child transmission increased from 14% in 2005, to 33% in 2007. In this same period the number of new infections among children fell from 410,000 to 370,000 demonstrating the importance of the prevention of MTCT (UNAIDS Press Release, July 2008).

Despite the argument that provisions of these treatments are not economically feasible, compared to the long-term costs of treating new HIV patients, combined with the loss of future economic and social growth, the costs of preventing MTCT is relatively inexpensive.

Orphaned and otherwise vulnerable children (OVC) face special challenges as they are often excluded from accessing health care and education facilities. Furthermore, the loss of parents, adult relatives, teachers, health care workers and other caregivers are unduly undermining the development and protection of children – ultimately, orphaned and vulnerable children live in communities weakened by HIV/AIDS as their schools, health care systems, households and social support networks have also been affected (UNICEF, 2004).