On International Youth Day (August 12, 2021)‎, the AU Commission, in partnership with ‎UNAIDS, launched the #ProtectedAndInformed digital campaign via Twitter Live. The launch was followed by a Twitter Chat where youth from all four AU Regions responded to HIV prevention and information questions.

‎2021 marks an important milestone as we mark 40 years since the first reported case of ‎‎HIV. There has been evidence of a substantial reduction of AIDS-related deaths and new ‎HIV infections globally in the last decade. However, the gains in the fight against ‎HIV/AIDS ‎remain unequal between and within countries. In Africa, the response to ‎HIV/AIDS is at a ‎critical juncture as the continent strives to mitigate the challenges ‎presented by the COVID-‎‎19 pandemic and remain optimistic about achieving the ‎common goal of ending AIDS as a ‎public health threat by 2030.‎

The objective of the digital campaign is to ‎strengthen advocacy for HIV ‎prevention and care in ‎Africa. It is critical to expand advocacy ‎for HIV prevention and care, strengthen ‎country ‎‎ownership, and support mutual ‎accountability.‎