Purpose and partnership
Positive Learning is about meeting the needs of adolescents and young people living with HIV, in both the formal and informal education sectors. It aims to:
- address the daily realities of adolescents and young people living with HIV as they navigate issues such as sexuality, relationships, gender identity and expression, treatment access and adherence.
- support national education sectors to fulfil the needs and rights of all learners living with and affected by HIV and, by doing so, improves their educational experiences and outcomes.
Positive learning is a partnership between UNESCO, the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) and the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global).
Youth-led revision process
The partnership to develop Positive Learning was an inclusive, multisectoral and youth-led process. An essential component was ensuring the meaningful and ethical engagement of young people living with HIV, with the development of the Positive Learning publication also being led by a young consultant.
The first phase of the process involved a review and synthesis of evidence generated since the first edition of Positive Learning published by UNESCO in 2011, on issues relevant to learners with HIV. Y+ Global then supported six regional consultations to gather the voices and perspectives of young people living with HIV, young people from key populations and young people affected by HIV, to document their experiences in school and other learning environments and their proposals for improvement.
The youth consultations were followed by a joint consultative meeting (held in English, French, Spanish and Russian) that brought together over 60 young people, teachers, representatives of ministries of education and health, UN staff and civil society from all world regions. Youth leadership was central: Y+ Global organized and led the consultative meeting alongside UNESCO and GNP+; young people constituted one third of total participants; and young people were actively engaged during the consultation, including as panellists, facilitators and rapporteurs.
A small consultative group, with youth representatives making up over half the membership, was subsequently formed and was closely involved with the development, review and validation of the Positive Learning recommendations.
Explore more from Positive Learning
The recommendations seek to inform a broad range of stakeholders. They can serve as a tool to inform the review and update of national policies and curricula, as a guide for schools or teachers looking to build a more inclusive and supportive environment for learners, or as an advocacy tool for civil society organisations and youth activists.