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UNESCO BRAZIL Notebooks
cular to ensure their access to, inter alia, education, inheritance, employment,
health care, social and health services, prevention, support and treatment,
information and legal protection, while respecting their privacy and confidentiality;
and develop strategies to combat stigma and social exclusion connected with the
epidemic.
Those people that are vulnerable must be given priority in
the response to the epidemic. Empowering women is
essential in reducing vulnerability.
62. By 2003, in order to complement prevention programs that address
activities which place individuals at risk of HIV infection, such as risky
and unsafe sexual behavior and injected drug use, have in place in all countries
strategies, policies and programs that identify and begin to address those
factors that make individuals particularly vulnerable to HIV infection,
including underdevelopment, economic insecurity, poverty, lack of
empowerment of women, lack of education, social exclusion, illiteracy,
discrimination, lack of information and/or commodities for self-protection,
and all types of sexual exploitation of women, girls and boys, including for
commercial reasons. Such strategies, policies and programs should address
the gender dimension of the epidemic, specify the action that will be taken to
address vulnerability, and set targets for achievement.
63. By 2003 develop and/or strengthen strategies, policies and programs
which recognize the importance of the family in reducing vulnerability,
inter alia, in educating and guiding children and take account the cultu-
ral, religious and ethical factors, to reduce the vulnerability of children
and young people by ensuring access of both girls and boys to primary
and secondary education, including HIV/AIDS in curricula for
adolescents; ensuring safe and secure environments, especially for young
girls; expanding good-quality, youth-friendly information and sexual
health education and counseling services; strengthening reproductive and
sexual health programs; and involving families and young people in
planning, implementing and evaluating HIV/AIDS prevention and
care programs, to the extent possible.