Download AIDS Affected Children - UNESCO HIV and Health Education

AIDS Affected Children
Access to Education
It is important to note that AIDS affected
children are constantly excluded from
education both from inside and outside
of the classroom
Education plays a vital role in the wellbeing of children. It offers them a
chance for their future as well as
developmental stimuli.
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The Global Orphan Project (1999)
estimated in Thailand that there are 34,372
children under the age of 14 that had lost
their mothers due to AIDS as of January
1999.
An additional 57,049 children have mothers
that are currently suffering from an AIDS
related illness and are facing hardships due
to this. Lastly,
A more worrying figure of 420,731 children
under the age of 14 are living with mothers
that are HIV positive but asymptomatic
The Impact of HIV/AIDS on
communities:
The labor pool is reduced, particularly
for agricultural labor and for skilled
labor, including health workers and
teachers.
 Poverty increases
 Infrastructure deteriorates
 Access to health care and education is
reduced
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Mortality is elevated
 The community has fewer resources to
marshal for mutual aid
 Communities suffer a general loss of
resilience
 Vulnerable children are cared for by
vulnerable families and reside in
vulnerable communities.
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Psychosocial Problems
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Children frequently experience psychological
distress
They experience numerous separations from
parents, changes in the nature and
predictability of emotional nurturing
There are typically months or years of stress,
suffering or depression before a parent dies
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AIDS and HIV infection present the
additional stressors that stem from
discrimination, stereotyping, and social
ostracism.
Concerns about loss, disruptions in routine
and contact with peers
AIDS affected children may experience stress
due to the knowledge that nothing in life is
permanent or constant. They have witnessed
thing’s that would not normally be
experienced by young children
Economic hardship
It is important to note that not all AIDS
affected children experience psychological
disturbances…..many are very resilient and
are able to cope and sometimes thrive in
adverse conditions
Issues Affecting Attendance
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AIDS Stigma- schools may be influenced by
communities perceptions of HI/AIDS and
refuse entry
Economic hardship- families may be unable
to pay fees/children are often required to find
employment at an early age
Children sometimes assume the role of
caregiver for an ailing parent
Children orphaned by AIDS are often the first
to be denied education when their extended
families cannot afford to educate them
Issue Impacting on Learning
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Children frequently exhibit behavioral
problems
Grief and depression may be evident or they
may be expressed through behavioral
problems
Many teachers misunderstand or misinterpret
these and punish sometimes harshly
Many teachers still have a fear of contagion
or have made a moral judgment on the child
or their family
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Many teachers do not have the skills to help
children experiencing problems so these
children tend to be left alone
Loneliness and lack of friendship is a major
problem for these children. They are being
deprived the emotional support at a time
when it is most needed
Tools to Assess Impact
Psychological Instruments
 Depression Inventories
 Self-esteem Inventories
 Children’s behavioral checklist (Thai Youth
Checklist)
 Generic Life Skills Tests
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Child Needs Assessment Tool Kit-This tool kit
was developed by The Task Force for Child
Survival and Development at the request of
the Early Child Development Team of the
World Bank, to assist organizations in
assessing the needs of children in areas
heavily impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
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Most importantly a multi-sectoral approach
must be undertaken involving many key
actors and PHAs in communities to identify
and assist children in difficult circumstances
Conclusion
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Interventions should:
Utilize a resilience paradigm that points to
what should be added to children's lives to
give them better tools for coping with diverse,
stressful settings.
While not ignoring the social circumstances
that make modern life more difficult for
children, a resilience paradigm emphasizes
more careful efforts to improve the conditions
that most directly affect a child's ability to
cope such as effective parenting and early
efforts to increase learning.
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It is evident that prevention strategies and
approaches must be reviewed and rethought.
Central to these strategies is the involvement
of youth, schools and communities.
Involving youth in the development and
implementation of projects is essential to their
success. No longer can youth been seen as
merely part of the problem - they are also the
solution.