Two years ago, Azerbaijan’s health system had no program on AIDS targeting youth. Now it is helping to administer an innovative youth education program, despite the failure of similar projects in more liberal countries. In just a year and a half, Life Skills Based Education, or LSBE, has been put on the weekly curricula for 360,000 pupils in 850 schools. By the end of the Global Fund-financed project in 2010, all 4,500 secondary schools in the country will offer discussions on health issues.

Azerbaijan has the highest multi drug-resistant TB rate in the world.
Rasul Efendiyev, Director of Project Implementation at the Ministry of Health describes how LSBE equips children and adolescents to deal responsibly with serious illnesses.

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HIV prevalence in Azerbaijan is still low, at 0.1 percent. Azerbaijan’s approach to fight the virus is inventive, because most programs tend to focus on those already living with AIDS whereas in Azerbaijan young people are targeted with early prevention. The national introduction of the life skills course is exceptional, both in terms of its wide reach and its broad content.

Rasul Efendiyev describes the contents of the once-a-week, 45 minute class which helps young people take key decisions at turning points in their lives.

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LSBE gives Azeri children more than AIDS control; it has further benefits including helping school children feel confident about saying “no” to smoking, drugs and prostitution.

Talking to schoolchildren about the contentious issue of adolescent sexual activity in a Muslim state is challenging. Rasul Efendiyev describes how that challenge has been overcome.

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The school education project has produced exceptional results in a short time. Driven by the Ministries of Health and Education, with technical assistance from UNICEF, the project’s survival hinged on the widespread cooperation conducted at its inception. Schoolchildren, parents and teachers collaborated to design a pilot scheme.  Experts promoted the course’s acceptance by society in the media.  Finally a comprehensive course book was printed and teachers underwent training, which is ongoing as the program reaches more schools.

Azerbaijan has taken bold steps toward reaching every child across the country and preparing them for life’s pitfalls.