TT at Caribbean Summit for Young People on HIV/AIDS

A delegation from TT led by Minister of Social Development and Gender Affairs, Senator Mustapha Abdul-Hamid is currently in Barbados attending the Caribbean Summit for Young People on HIV/AIDS in Barbados which started last Sunday and ends today. A media release from the Ministry of Social Development said the Summit is the first of its kind in the region. It is being hosted by the government of Barbados in collaboration with UNICEF to ensure children’s voices are heard in the fight to end the spread of HIV/AIDS throughout the Caribbean. The summit aims to highlight the realities faced by children made vulnerable to and by HIV/AIDS; build a regional children’s forum to discuss the HIV/AIDS pandemic from a child’s perspective; create opportunities for young people to organise their own lobby groups throughout the Caribbean; create a sustainable platform to help put these lobby groups and increase young people’s engagement in the HIV/AIDS interventions.

The Ministry is revising TT’s National Plan of Action (NPA) for Children. “This is being done in the context of the global agenda set by the outcomes of the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) for Children which was hosted at the UN Headquarters in May 2002,” the release said. Combating “HIV/AIDS” is one of the priority areas of action itemised in the outcome document of the UNGASS entitled “A World Fit for Children.” Globally, the Caribbean has the second highest population of persons infected with HIV/AIDS. The 15-45 age group represents the persons with the highest rate of infection.

“Given these two factors, the fight against HIV/AIDS has been identified as priority areas for action in this country’s NPA.” As the Minister responsible for ensuring the implementation of the revised NPA inclusive of the goals to be attained in the area of the fight against HIV/AIDS, Senator Abdul-Hamid was invited by the Barbados Minister of Social Transformation, Hamilton F Lashley to participate in the summit. TT’s also includes two youth delegates from the Cyril Ross Home, Tunapuna; Aileen Bruce, Project Coordinator of the NPA who also serves as their chaperone; and Hyacinth Cross, Acting Manager of the Home. Wendy Fitzwilliam, UNICEF goodwill ambassador and founding member of the Hibiscus Foundation is also participating in the summit.