UNAIDS Highlights Youth-Led HIV Prevention in Asia and the Pacific

HIV prevention news · 24 October 2026
Source report: 23 October 2026 · Workshop: September 2026

Illustrative discussion about a health prevention plan — Illustrative image from the Nexus Laboratories library. It does not depict the UNAIDS workshop, and no HIV status is implied for the people pictured.

New prevention options need services young people can reach

A new UNAIDS feature highlights how stigma, privacy concerns, cost and consent requirements can prevent young people from accessing HIV prevention—even as new tools become available.

The report draws on a September 2026 workshop in Bangkok that brought together young leaders, clinicians, researchers and policymakers. UNAIDS estimates that around 80,000 young people acquired HIV in Asia and the Pacific in 2025, representing 29% of new infections in the region.

Young people help design better services

Examples from Thailand and Cambodia show how peer outreach, safe spaces, social media and youth participation can connect people with information, testing and prevention services.

The central message is that introducing new technologies is only part of the work. Services also need to be accessible, trusted and designed with young people’s needs in mind. The report discusses regional experiences; it does not announce new product availability in Malaysia.

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Source: UNAIDS: young people shaping the HIV response in Asia and the Pacific.