Young people as a percentage of total population:
33% (age 10-24)

Estimated percentage of young people living with HIV/AIDS:
Female – 17.9%
Male – 7.6%

RTK INITIATIVE STATUS
Phase I: Planning for RTK -- Completed
Phase II: Participatory Action Research -- Initiated; to be completed upon receipt of funding
Phase III: Research development and Implementation of Communication Strategy -- To be initiated 2003

PURPOSE
The primary goal of Right to Know is to plan and implement adolescent communication strategies that provide adolescents (both in school and out of school) with information and lifeskills for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, and to ensure adolescent participation in all aspects of planning and implementation.

PRIORITY ACTIVITIES, 2002-2003:

• To strengthen the capacity of youth NGOs in areas of communication strategy development, implementation and evaluation;
• To launch the information and communication strategy and package;
• To provide adolescents with information and life skills that can assist them in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in Malawi;
• To conduct an evaluation of the process and impact of the intervention;
• To address specific concerns about young people's “lack of action in lieu of their knowledge,” “misconceptions about HIV transmission,” and “gender stereotyping” raised in previous studies.

PARTNERS AND LINKAGES

• Center for Education Research and Training (CERT) as the collaborating research institution;
• National Youth Council (NYC) as the youth co-ordination group;

Steering Committee and Youth Coordination comprised of – Cabinet Committee on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS and the donor technical group on HIV/AIDS, WHO, UNFPA, Worldbank, UNIAIDS, UNDP. Youth NGOs from Mzuzu, Lilongwe Rural, Lilongwe Urban, Nkhotakota, and Blantyre will be involved, notably:

• Youth Watch Society
• Centre for Youth and Children Affairs
• Youth on the Move
• Nkhotakota Youth Association
• Youth Arm Organization
• The five communities themselves.

The findings of the research will be brought back to the communities. Young people, adults and key players will provide comments before the final report findings are presented.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE

• RTK Regional orientation for Phase I, 20-24 May, 2002; Lusaka, Zambia.
• RTK Orientation Phase II, 14-19 July (20 young people from 5 distinct areas trained);
• RTK Phase II training on data analysis and reporting, August 2002.
• Phase II Work plan developed by the Center for Education Research;
• Phase II workplan implemented; completed October 2002;
• RTK Phase II report due December 2002.

SOURCE:
UNICEF Right to Know Initiative, November 2002.