Letters of the alphabet are increasingly becoming used as more than just letters but as words, abbreviations, acronyms and HIV prevention strategies amongst other things.

As the 2006 High-Level Meeting for HIV/AIDS unfolds, I continue to witness the dramatic effect HIV/AIDS has on people and not just on a personal level but also internationally. The first two days of this meeting started with a Youth Summit getting together 60 young people from at least 28 countries to discuss the progress towards reaching the commitments relevant to other young people in the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, to identify actions to be taken by governments and other stakeholders to address youth needs, to establish advocacy movements for change in our home countries and to train us on effective lobbying.

After reviewing the Declaration of Commitment, youth have particular interest in seeing more recognition and participation in decision making positions and that their concerns be given priority. We also request establishment of youth friendly services and I acknowledge countries such as Mozambique for listening to their youth's cries about these services, but I still see a lot of countries lurking behind. What has come out clearly from the summit is that no matter where you come from, from Cape to Cairo, United States to United Kingdom we have similar yet different prevention strategies, with some using the A (Abstinence) only. Many young people continue to have sex regardless of what their country policies say. Preaching abstinence doesn't make young people abstain it just makes them more susceptible to the virus since they don't have the necessary information or options to make the right choices.

Then we have countries that preach A-abstinence and B-be faithful. This strategy has also proved not to be working as more and more female counterparts are getting infected. Women and young girls still continue to be vulnerable to this epidemic and strategies such as these ones are putting more women at an even greater risk. ABC-the first two, plus Condoms, is by far the best policy because it not only gives one the option to abstain or be faithful or condomise but also to abstain and be faithful and condomise. One other option that has since worked and is well practiced by Botswana youth is that of ABCD-Do it yourself, or masturbation.

Youth need comprehensive prevention, treatment, support and care programs that are youth friendly with options and knowledge on all those options. Like Mr Kunio Waki said at our youth Caucus meeting today, ‘Knowledge is not enough. There has to be access to services that are youth friendly.' ‘As the president of Advocates for Youth said at one of the press conference meetings, Ignorance kills, knowledge doesn't', and I second that. Do I hear a ‘me too?'

Youth constitute half of all new HIV infections and we are the same people who know what programs work best for us. All we ask is that we be honored, recognized, educated, respected, listened to and supported by all means possible.