[afro-nets] CNN and ABC (3)

[Ebrima Saidy <ebrima.saidy@ycare.org.uk>]

CNN and ABC (3)
---------------

Well, well well, I must say I am very glad that this discussion
is renewed or rather being continued post Bangkok.

I was in Bangkok during the last international AIDS conference
as an IPPF Central Office representative and was in that debate
session, which I must say, was very interesting. I was also op-
portune to have a word with Mr. Green and his partner presenter
(am not sure if you remember this but the young man you were on
one motion with from Uganda, I think, called me a sinner because
I am not abstaining from pre marital sex...) this is interesting
in the sense that in 2004... now 2005... and over '20 HIV Years'
we still seem not to agree on a progressive way forward... we
still are debating about ideology v. science... not that I am
unaware of the complex relationship between the personal, struc-
tural and the cultural. But I think the conclusion in Bangkok
and yet in the current discussions is the fact the there is no
magic bullet to preventing HIV/AIDS and surely condemning young
people or denouncing their behaviour is certainly not a progres-
sive way forward in 2005 and beyond.

Young people's lives are dynamic and ever changing just like all
people and will therefore be a great step back for anyone to ar-
gue that ABC alone can do the job... and I assume Mr. Green is
not arguing thus... even if we all agree that a comprehensive
approach is the way forward, what I find problematic is not the
ABC as a concept but the way in which it is implemented and this
is down to us researchers, programmers and policy makers.

Last night, I was watching a TV documentary on why politicians
can't tell the truth... fascinating... as a person who just
graduated from the 'youth days' and have worked with young peo-
ple at local, national and international levels, I think it is
perhaps time to research why us researchers, programmers and
policy makers can't just be honest to young people.


Ebrima Saidy
mailto:ebrima.saidy@ycare.org.uk