Problems in implementing rights-based approaches to youth development in Myanmar: a case study of HIV/AIDS prevention

The study aims to assess how effective life-skills training programmes using rights-based approach for out-of-school youths in Myanmar are in terms of imparting knowledge, nurturing attitudes and inducing safer behaviour, appropriate to self-prevention from HIV/AIDS infection. The hypothesis of this thesis is that implementing rights-based approaches to youth development is not effective in enabling youths in Myanmar to empower themselves for self-prevention from HIV/AIDS infection because: 1)Under the present social and economic conditions it is not be feasible to implement rights-based approach; 2)Communities are not supportive of youths in exercising their rights in terms HIV/AIDS prevention; 3) Parents and youths do not have sufficient and appropriate information in order to realize youths’ rights to health, education, protection and participation, due to limited awareness promotion and ineffective training methods. Apart from documentary research on conceptual and background data, field research was undertaken in Kyimyindine Township of Mon State, Myanmar. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were responded to by trained and untrained youths in both localities. The results were compared as to their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, their knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention, as well as their attitudes and behaviour appertaining to it. The study found that the training programme was effective to the extent that trained youths had acquired sufficient knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention and were aware of their right to that knowledge. It further found that the training programme had increased their self-control, self-esteem and self-confidence that add up to a degree of empowerment short of demanding the authorities to improve their vulnerable economic and social environment. The formation of SHAPE Plus circles among the community elders had enabled some youths to acquire the knowledge on HIV/AIDS prevention. However, they were unable to create a safe and enabling environment. This was because some parents refused to allow their children to attend the training, sine they needed their children’s labour to alleviate their poverty. Comparisons between the two sites showed that both economic disparities and differences in social norms accounted for differences in youths’ ability to gain and make use of the training knowledge. A number of recommendations are given with regard to access to services and to ways of increasing parental support.