National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day 2023
Since 2013, National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day has been commemorated every year on April 10th to increase awareness of the disease among youth and celebrate their efforts to improve education outcomes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2020, 20% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States were among young people aged 13-24, with nearly half of them unaware of their infection.
One of the significant challenges in the fight against HIV is the stigma and misconceptions associated with the condition. In many places worldwide, HIV education is delivered as part of sex education, which often falls short of adequately conveying complete information due to its taboo status and discomforting discussions. Nonetheless, education plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of the disease and motivating individuals to seek treatment.
TeachAids, through a research-based process that includes biology, euphemisms, and cultural artifacts, has created interactive animated films to deliver HIV education content. Dozens of celebrated cultural icons, such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Anushka Shetty, Scar, and Jazzelle, among others, have donated their voices to create special language versions of our HIV/AIDS content. We have observed firsthand the impact of hearing accurate information from a trusted source in a familiar language on our beliefs and associated behaviors. We have dedicated thousands of hours to refining the way we communicate life-saving data and guidance.
Young people are a high-priority demographic not just due to their vulnerability to the disease but also because of the influence they possess. We anticipate a renewed passion to initiate conversations, get tested, and educate others, and we remain committed to supporting their efforts.