National Organization of Peer Educator's (NOPE), the proud organizer of the just ended 4th International Conference on Peer Education, Sexuality, HIV & AIDS 2010 would like to appreciate all the donors, delegates, partners, exhibitors, committee and NOPE staff for the support and being part of the conference. THANK YOU!

CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES
The 4th Conference on Peer Education, Sexuality, HIV and AIDS 2010 in Context. The Conference took place at a time of numerous emerging issues in the area of HIV and AIDS Prevention care and treatment worldwide. With the goal of universal access by 2010 looming on the immediate horizon, and the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals following just five years later, there is a need for urgency and accountability and no room for complacency in dealing with the emerging issues.

CONFERENCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the conference was "to promote the role of peer educators and other stakeholders in scaling up HIV prevention to address emerging issues using evidence-based interventions"..


ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Although significant strides have been made in improving access to HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support services in most countries, the rate of new HIV infections is still high. The HIV and AIDs epidemic has had far reaching implications worldwide. Global statistics indicate that currently there are 7400 new infections every day and 33 million people living with HIV of whom over 90% live in developing countries. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 67% of these new infections; with six out of ten people infected with HIV being women (UNAIDS 2008).
Prevention efforts, behavior change communication and counseling and testing therefore need to be scaled up in order to stop new infections.
The face of HIV and AIDS has been synonymous with women and young people. UNFPA estimates that young people aged between 15-24 account for 45% of the global HIV prevalence; with half of the new HIV infections occurring among young people. There are several emerging issues in HIV prevention that need to be addressed. One of these is Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC). Studies among men aged 18-24 years reveal that male circumcision significantly reduces the risk of HIV acquisition in young men in Africa. Where appropriate, voluntary, safe, and affordable circumcision services should be integrated with other HIV preventive interventions and provided as expeditiously as possible. VMMC has started gaining momentum in several countries in Africa. However, there is increasing need to develop and strengthen national guidelines integrating male circumcision within the HIV prevention framework; and to emphasize the need to acknowledge and support other prevention methods.
Other emerging issues in HIV prevention include: the increasing vulnerability of married couples to HIV infection due to an increase in extra-marital sexual relations and multiple concurrent partnerships; the need to focus more on underserved and most-at-risk populations such as sex workers, cattle traders, men who have sex with men (MSM), intravenous drug users (IDUs) and persons living with HIV; the integration of alcohol use and abuse into HIV prevention programs; improving the scope of HIV and AIDS programs to cover general wellness; reducing the cost of post HIV exposure prophylaxis in an environment of increased gender based violence, civil unrest and occupational exposure particularly in developing countries; implementation of evidenced based interventions; HIV vaccine or microbicide development; and linkages between prevention interventions and treatment, care and support systems.
No single effort is responsive for a future free of HIV and AIDS, and a combined effort from stakeholders, PLWHA, and governments is necessary. Stakeholders need to lobby government to strengthen policies that ensure comprehensive HIV and AIDS programs and interventions. Strategies previously used in containing the pandemic have had equal successes and challenges. Peer education, for instance, continues to be a widely used and effective approach of imparting knowledge and skills and influencing behavior change among different target populations.
The NOPE conferences are unique, cost-effective forums that enable players at the grassroots level to share their experiences, learn lessons for their programs from other stakeholders and receive scientific, programmatic and epidemiological updates from selected experts in a simple and clear language. The conference acts as a focused tool on delving into the matters affecting the communities and sharing best practices and lessons to in build into programs.