Human Resources or HR in short in a term that is commonly used in business, economics and labor related area in the business world. This word may have different meanings in different contexts. It was originally used to describe labor, which is the literal meaning of human resources, in the political and economic circles. It was a key factor in production since more people meant more work done. Nowadays, it is used to describe the people who are skilled at recruiting people, firing them, providing them proper training and form a bridge between the executives and the employees.

They need to have certain professional and personal abilities and skills to survive in this department. Since they deal with both recruitment and firing people, they should not be highly friendly, but at the same time they should be able to assert control without showing aggression. This is essential to conduct fair interviews and also terminate an employee without stirring a rebellion. They need to know a lot about the company they are serving since they will also be training new recruits. They should have answers for all the questions that may be asked and have expert knowledge in all parts of business. This is why many business organizations are more than willing to pay a high amount to get a good set of HR executives.

They also have the responsibility of handling the personal problems any employee might be facing and resolve disputes between employees. Therefore they need to be skilled in negotiation, mediation, counseling and resolution of conflicts. They should be able to counsel the employees who are not able to give their fullest because of certain problems either at the workplace or at their own homes. They must make the employees feel cared for and in safe hands. Mediation comes in useful when some employees have a dispute with some others. Such a conflict must be immediately dealt with and should be nipped in the bud. A mediator can help keeping the talks void of emotion and to the point which helps coming to a solution faster. Conflict result ion is clearly an important part of mediation but also is important as an individual skill when there is an open dispute. Thus getting a very highly skilled person who can resolve conflicts and has vast experience in mediation can be extremely helpful in increasing productivity and also reduce other impediments in the smooth running of the industry.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/human-resource-representatives-reasons-every-company-needs-them-703180.html

Have you ever noticed how many people play: “I’m Right, You’re Wrong”? Have you ever wondered why this is so common, especially in close relationships? This problem starts with our culture teaching us to focus our attention on right-wrong thinking.

The good news is that you can unlearn this power-over approach, and start having more genuine cooperation in your relationships. Sound good? Then please keep reading. Just ahead you’ll find five keys to open the doors that lead beyond “Us Against Them” thinking and into the power of “WE.”

Our life journey has included years of “Us vs. Them” training. Growing up, each step along the way we heard: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world,” “Look out for number one,” “Watch your back,” and other such expressions. These created strong mental habits which govern our thinking as well as our actions. Even in our most loving and trusting relationships, we often end up playing the good-bad, right-wrong games.

Got lawyers?

One of the essential skills we all learned is how to prove we are right and defend against being proven wrong. This has become very deeply ingrained. It won’t change overnight, and it won’t change just by “wanting” it to.

The only way to begin shifting this way of thinking is to learn something new: skills and understandings that open the door to new possibilities. Your desire for more co-creative relationships is what prepares you to use the first key.

Key 1 – INTENTION

Are you clear about your intentions? Do you know the difference between a strategy and an intention? Knowing this difference is essential. Without this you tend to get stuck wanting other people to agree with your strategies. This can leave people feeling closed and defensive. Even worse, being attached to one particular strategy dramatically limits your opportunities to be satisfied.

One strategy = One opportunity.

On the other hand, a strategy-free intention describes only what you value and the qualities you want to experience in a situation. Starting with pure intention like this is necessary when creating outcomes that will satisfy everyone. Identifying a clear, strategy-free intention is also essential for using the next key.

Key 2 – ALIGNMENT

Is everyone on the same page? Do you want similar results? Establishing alignment is the second key to successful co-creation. In life, we go about our own lives, trying to achieve our own goals, yet we are all still interconnected. This puts limits on how far we can get in achieving our own results without cooperation.

The process of creating alignment starts by getting clear about what is important to everyone. It’s co-creating a shared vision of success. Beginning by learning alignment paves the way for easy agreements and abundant results, which produces far greater satisfaction for everyone. You need alignment to use the next key.

Key 3 – NEGOTIATION

Will you take everyone’s needs into consideration? Will you keep at it until everyone is satisfied? Understanding the difference between negotiation and compromise plays a big part in being willing and able to stick with the process.

Compromise is the way of an “Us Against Them” world. It begins by identifying what everyone wants. Then you see who’s willing to give up parts of what they want until everyone can live with what’s left. This results from having your attention focused on lack, limitation, and fear. It’s based in the belief that there isn’t enough to go around, so you have to settle for or take whatever you can get.

Negotiation is the way in an abundant world. It begins by identifying what everyone values and what is missing for them. Then, while you keep your attention focused on everyone’s values, strategies will emerge that make it possible for everyone to be satisfied, without any compromise needed. Once everyone is satisfied with the strategies, you’re ready to use key number four.

Key 4 – AGREEMENT

What’s the plan? What needs to happen and who’s willing to do what? After everyone’s had their say, people often people think they’ve made agreements. In reality they’ve only expressed vague understandings of what they want, and how they would like that to happen.

Co-creation relies on your ability to make clear, doable requests that lead to definite agreements. Powerful agreements are specific about who, what, when, where, and how. They include a positive confirmation of each person’s willingness to do their part.

Explicit agreements increase your effectiveness and everyone’s satisfaction. Once you’ve made your powerful agreements you’re all set for key number five.

Key 5 – ACCOUNTABILITY

Will your agreements continue to work for everyone? Will they create the results you want? Without accountability you can’t know if your agreements are actually working. If you wait to find out they aren’t working, you may have already built up dangerous levels of frustration, resentment, and resignation.

You create accountability by setting specific times to review how well your agreements are working, and schedule discussions to see what changes might be needed.

These accountability meetings will allow you to continue practicing the 5 keys of co-creation.

1 – Do you still have a clear INTENTION?
2 – Are you still in ALIGNMENT?
3 – Do you need more NEGOTIATION?
4 – Is it time to make new AGREEMENTS?
5 – How will you ensure ongoing ACCOUNTABILITY?

Accountability is the final key that opens the doors to the co-creative power of “WE.”

Now you have all five keys that open the doors that lead down the path to co-creating genuine partnerships. We hope you choose to learn more about these five key skills and commit to practicing them in all of your important relationships.

Beth Banning
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/problems-in-your-relationship-five-keys-for-creating-relationship-magic-523597.html

Negotiation Training is a Critical part of communications training

When accepting a new job, salary negotiation is so important. You may have to consider many additional costs that may not be readily apparent to you, which the new job may demand and which are not there in your present job. The costs may or may not be quantifiable but it is important to be aware of them when thinking of salary negotiation. This article explains these issues in more detail.

The salary that you want to earn in the new job should not be a fixed figure but rather be in a range. This is because during salary negotiation of the new job the total cost involved may not be clear in the beginning. The expected figure should be disclosed to the prospective employer after fully understanding all the implications of the new job and may require to be calculated. One of the undisclosed expenses may be health insurance. The insurance policy of the new employer may require you to pay a higher amount from your pocket for each pay period whether it is weekly or bi weekly or monthly. Even if it is a small amount per pay period, an annual calculation may make it substantial.

If for instance the dress code of the new job requires you to wear a formal dress while you may be allowed to wear a casual dress in your present job, upgrading the wardrobe may cost you a tidy sum. Commuting to the workplace is another expense that you have to consider while negotiating a new job. If the place of work is at considerable distance away from your home, it may involve additional expense towards fuel and car maintenance or public transport.

Paid overtime hours is an important issue you have to consider. If your present job pays for your overtime hours and the new job requires you to be on call 24 hours, then you may be actually getting less if you divide the extra hours put in from your annual salary. Even if it is a few hour a week, it will become considerable amount when calculated for an entire year.

There are many other issues, which are sometimes called perks to consider like reimbursement of tuition expenses, flexible working hours, 401(k) contribution, on-site daycare and health clubs, company paid training, mobile phone and/or laptop computer provided by the company, paid professional membership to associations and institutes, vacation and personal holidays, car parking expenses, tax deductible expenses, and the possibility of working from home. Many of these factors are intangible benefits – one might not be able calculate them in dollar terms but depending on your situation they may be very important to you like for example the option of working from home for a mother having small kids to look after at home.

When you make a comparison of the above items with your present job, this would give you an idea of the additional expenses that you have to bear in the new job, giving you a more accurate actual take home figure and putting you in a better, more knowledgeable position while negotiating the salary for your new job.

Steven French
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/why-salary-negotiation-is-so-important-83676.html

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Duration : 0:6:3

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Having the right knowledge on film making might help you run a studio or be a goof studio executive, but to become a successful independent film maker, you need have that special awe. In order to become a good producer, you must develop certain skills in you as an individual.

The top 5 requisites among the rest are as follows:

1. Organization

This is perhaps the most important skill required for a producer. Some of you might be organized enough, but you would all agree that this skill can not be taught to anyone neither can one learn it that easily. It is just about trying and getting it in to your system with practice. In case you keep forgetting the place you left your wallet at or are still calculating as to when did you last change the oil of your car, you certainly need to work in this area. Try reading some self help books like – How to get organized. There are many training sessions that could give you easy and effective tips on being organized. Pick you method your own way, but do get organized as being a producer this is a basis necessity for you.

2. Quick Decision Making

An individual’s ability of making quick decisions is indeed helpful in several fronts of life. When it comes to film making, the actions and procedures are quite planned and hence predictable regarding the results, yet the field of film making is full of surprises. There are several gray areas that keep on forcing last minute changes in your plans. Being the producer, you would be the captain of the ship with all the onus for good or bad coming back to you. This would call for many decisions to be made right now with no time to think.

In order to develop this skill within your self, first of all realize thoroughly the since the beginning until the end you are responsible for all the decisions taken during film making. Any mistakes that follow can not be blamed on anyone else, but you, the producer. You must have the power to judge when your decisions have gone wrong. Being a film maker, it is a must for you to be decisive and accept the blame when ever necessary. Remember you are the role model for your crew & cast and they would follow what ever you say.

3. A Good Negotiator
All the decisions you make regarding the expenditure of the film would be final. You must understand that without negotiation, if you continue paying the prices quoted always, you shall far exceed your stipulated budget which is not something truly advisable. As a producer it is your duty to know the maximum price you could pay for any item as per your budget. Then try negotiating the bid by 20-30 percent. If it doesn’t work out, make it a point to say no, but do not exceed your budget in any circumstances.

4. Diplomacy

A producer needs to manage a big group of talents and the crew. Hence, you must keep a close watch on the gossips and rumors. When you become a part of some feuds and conflicts, work out a remedy for the situation with out taking any sides. This is art you would need to master as you would use it every working day.

5. Energetic

A producer must be very energetic in order to face the hectic schedules every day. While a lot of you may think that consuming caffeine in the morning wakes you up fresh, remember a producer needs to have some real energy to face the bilk of challenges that come across during the process of film making. So, you must eat well & have lot of vitamins to avoid any break downs during the long working days.

Mastering these 5 basic individual skills, would make you a real successful film producer. Yet, applying your knowledge on film making to the fullest is a pre-requisite to become an independent film maker.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/movies-articles/being-a-producer-5-top-skills-required-702663.html

I first came across the list below and used it as part of a tip about salary negotiation (”33 things to think about when negotiating your executive compensation”). It can also be looked at in another way. These things are essentially a laundry list of the kinds of job benefits you could see as part of your employment package:

* 401K eligibility requirements

* Bonus structure

* Business travel

* Car/Allowance

* Cell phone, PDA, laptop, etc

* Child care

* Club memberships

* Competitive work clauses

* Dental

* Disability

* Educational reimbursement

* Equity

* Flexibility and influence in hiring decisions

* Funding for research, start-ups or other discretionary projects

* Hours or work schedule

* Insurance coverage

* Job functions

* Life Insurance

* Location of work

* Medical

* Office or contents of office

* Optical

* Parking

* Pensions (if applicable)

* Profit sharing

* Relocation assistance

* Retirement provisions

* Salary

* Support structure (e.g. administrative support)

* Termination clauses and terms

* Title

* Training programs or mentoring

* Vacation time

This list can be a bit overwhelming, so as we get to the three things to take with you, let’s start by knocking out the overwhelm, and:

1. Rank them. Not 1-33, heaven forfend. Break them up into three categories: “Must have,” “Nice to have,” and “Don’t really care.” Don’t be rigid about putting 11 in each category. It’s better to be honest with yourself and really think about what matters to you, so you can make well-informed job search decisions.

2. Consider the bigger picture. Job benefits contribute significantly to both your “total compensation” as well as your work/life balance and job satisfaction. For example, would you take a modest reduction in salary in order to telecommute two days a week, saving gas and giving you extra time with your family? For some professionals, that’s a slam-dunk yes. How about you?

3. Don’t limit yourself. Every year, in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For issue, they review the benefits offered by the listed companies. And the one of the best sections every year is their “Unusual Perks” list. Though the list above covers the most common benefits you could encounter, it’s not the be-all, end-all. And some of those unusual options might be enough to propel a company up to the top of your targeted job search list.

So start here. Start designing the perfect job for yourself. Start looking at positions through this filter, and see how much closer you can get to the right job than you ever have before.

Allen Voivod
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/design-an-ideal-job-by-identifying-your-musthave-benefits-686483.html

Duration : 0:1:58

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HIV/AIDS is the global issue of new era of science and technology and we should know that the problem of widespread AIDS is challenge for human survival. Children and young people need to be equipped with the knowledge, attitudes, values and skills that will help them face these challenges and assist them in making healthy life-style choices as they grow. Education delivered through schools is one of the ways through which children can be helped to face these challenges and make such choices.

Providing information about HIV (transmission, risk factors, how to avoid infection) is necessary, but not sufficient, to lead to healthy behavioral change. Programs that provide accurate information, to counteract the myths and misinformation, frequently report improvements in knowledge and attitudes, but this is poorly correlated with behavioral change related to risk taking and desirable behavioral outcomes. Education can be effective in the more difficult task of achieving and sustaining behavior change about HIV/AIDS. The schools can either be a place that practices discrimination, prejudice and undue fear or one that demonstrates society’s commitment to equity.School policies need to ensure that every child and adolescent has the right to life education; particularly when that education is necessary for survival and avoidance of HIV infection.

HIV infection is one of the major problems facing school-age children today. They face fear if they are ignorant, discrimination if they or a family member or friend is infected, and suffering and death if they are not able to protect themselves from this preventable disease.

It is estimated that 40 million people, worldwide, are living with HIV or have AIDS, at least a third of these are young people aged 15-24. In 1998 more than 3 million young people worldwide became infected including 590,000 children under 15. More than 8,500 children and young people become infected with HIV each day. In many countries over 50% of all infections are among 15-24 years old, who will likely develop AIDS in a period ranging from several months to more than 10 years.

Studies have shown the enormous impact HIV and AIDS have on the education sector and the quality of education provided, particularly in certain regions of the world such as Sub Saharan Africa. Consequences of the AIDS epidemic include a probable decrease in the demand for education, coupled with absenteeism and an increase in the number of orphans and school drop out, especially among girls. Girls are socially and economically more vulnerable to conditions that force people to accept risk of HIV infection in order to survive. A decrease in education for girls will have serious negative effects on progress made over the past decade toward providing an adequate education for girls and women. Reduced numbers of classes or schools, a shortage of teachers and other personnel, and shrinking resources for educational systems all impair the prospects for education.

Effective HIV/AIDS education and prevention is needed in all schools for all children so that no one is left ignorant. Yet in many places schools are apprehensive about providing sex education or discussions of sexuality because of cultural demands to protect adolescents from sexual experience. Women often lack skills needed to communicate their concerns with their sexual partners and to practice behaviors that reduce their risk of infection, such as condom use, which is often controlled by men.

The school can either be a place that practices discrimination, prejudice and undue fear or one that demonstrates society’s commitment to equity. School policies need to ensure that every child and adolescent has the right to HIV/AIDS education; particularly when that education is necessary for survival and avoidance of HIV infection.

A UNAIDS review (1997) of 53 studies which assessed the effectiveness of programs to prevent HIV infection and related health problems among young people concluded that sex education programs do not lead to earlier or increased sexual activity among young people, in fact the opposite seems to be true. 22 reported that HIV and/or sexual health education either delayed the onset of sexual activity, reduced the number of sexual partners or reduced unplanned pregnancies and STD rates. 27 studies reported that HIV/AIDS and sexual health neither increased nor decreased sexual activity, pregnancy or STD.

The review concluded that school based interventions are an effective way to reduce risk behaviors associated with HIV/AIDS/STD among children and adolescents.

There are three main objectives for this paper to integrate the education effectively with the HIV/AIDS preventions and other health aspects related with it.

These are as follows:

Objectives:

1) Health education focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention.

2) Raising awareness about HIV/AIDS among educators and learners.

3) Stimulate peer support and HIV/AIDS counseling in schools.

The main focus of the paper is to give the importance to the HIV/AIDS precaution with the health education raising the awareness about it among all the students as well as their teachers also and provide the supportive environment for the HIV/AIDS education for all.

Need of HIV/AIDS education:

In area such as HIV/AIDS prevention individual behavior, social and peer pressure, cultural norms and abusive relationships may all contribute to the health and lifestyle problems of children and adolescents. There is now increasing evidence that in tackling these issues and health problems, a healthy approach to HIV/AIDS and sex education works, and is more effective than teaching knowledge alone. T

here are numerous studies indicating that providing information about issues such as sex, STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) and HIV (transmission, risk factors, how to avoid infection) is necessary, but not sufficient, to lead to healthy behavioral change (Hubley, 2000). Programs that provide accurate information, to counteract the myths and misinformation, frequently report improvements in knowledge and attitudes, but this is poorly correlated with behavioral change related to risk taking and desirable behavioral outcomes (Gatawa 1995, UNAIDS 1997a). HIV/AIDS with health education can be effective in the more difficult task of achieving and sustaining behavior change.

Health education with HIV/AIDS is widely applicable:

This problems largely affecting men and women as well as older children and adolescents, both this age group and younger children also face a wider range of health problems where education can play a vital role in sustainable prevention and management. Health education with HIV/AIDS programs plays a vital role in preventing infections. This is done through promoting knowledge of areas such as symptoms, transmission, and behaviors that are specifically relevant to many infection in each community; attitudes such as responsibility for personal, family and community health, confidence to change unhealthy habits; skills such as avoiding behaviors that are likely to cause infection, encourage others to change unhealthy habits, communicate messages about infection to families, peers and members of the community (WHO, 1996).

 This kind of health education with HIV/AIDS prevention focuses upon the development of Knowledge, Attitudes, Values, and Skills (including life skills such as inter-personal skills, critical and creative thinking, decision making and self awareness) needed to make and act on the most appropriate and positive health-related decisions. Health in this context extends beyond physical health to include psycho-social and environmental health issues.

This approach utilizes student centered and participatory methodologies, giving participants the opportunity to explore and acquire health promoting knowledge, attitudes and values and to practice the skills they need to avoid risky and unhealthy situations and adopt and sustain healthier life styles.

HIV/AIDS – a critical need for health education:

HIV/AIDS is an area where the scale and impact of the problem is such that the urgency of implementing preventative measures, including health education, is critical. Health education programs are being increasingly adopted as means of reaching children and young people to help halt the spread of this crippling epidemic. Studies from African countries show that children between the ages of 5 and 14 have the lowest prevalence of HIV infection. Below the age of 5 they are susceptible to mother to child transmission and after they become sexually active, the rate of infection increases rapidly – especially for girls (Kelly, 2000). Children aged 5-14 need to be reached at this critical stage in their lives and offer the ‘window of hope’ in stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS.

 Health Education with HIV/AIDS prevention Does Change Behavior:

There is now strong evidence from an increasing number of studies that health education HIV/AIDS prevention applied in an appropriate context, changes behavior – including behavior in sensitive and difficult areas where knowledge based health education has failed.

For example: Sexuality and HIV education –USA:

This study was implemented in 4 schools in New York City with 9th and 11th grade students (867 students), in intervention (AIDS prevention program) and control classes (no AIDS prevention program). The program focused on correcting facts about AIDS, teaching cognitive skills to appraise risk of transmission, increasing knowledge of AIDS-prevention resources, changing perceptions of risk-taking behavior, clarifying personal values, understanding external influences and teaching skills to delay intercourse and/or consistently use condoms. An evaluation carried out three months after the end of the program found that the intervention group showed the following positive behavioral outcomes when compared with the control group: decrease in intercourse with high risk partners, increase in monogamous relationships and an increase in consistent condom use. (Walter & Vaughan, 1993).

 HIV/AIDS prevention-Nigeria:

Health education programs are being implemented in many schools in Nigeria to increase levels of knowledge, influence attitudes and encourage safe sexual practices among secondary school students. A study to evaluate one such program was conducted comparing 223 students who received comprehensive sexual health education with 217 controls. Students in the intervention group received 6 weekly sessions lasting 2-6 hours, with activities including lectures, film shows, role-play stories, songs, debates, essays and a demonstration of the correct use of condoms. Following the intervention, students in the intervention group showed a greater knowledge and increased tolerance of people with AIDS compared to the control. The mean number of sexual partners also decreased in the intervention group, while the control group showed a slight increase. The program was also successful in increasing condom use (Fawole et al., 1999) Above mentioned studies shows that health education with HIV/AIDS prevention does change the behavior of students especially adolescents.

 Method for implementing Health Education with HIV/AIDS prevention:

Although there is strong evidence that HIV/AIDS prevention is effective when properly applied and supported, implementing this approach and achieving this success on a larger, countrywide scale is one of the greatest challenges to be faced.

To be effective, HIV/AIDS prevention programs must address the following areas:

•Reassure stakeholders that these messages are beneficial:

Talking and teaching about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS issues does not result in earlier initiation of sex or promiscuity. The evidence suggests that well implemented skills-based programs, conducted in an atmosphere of free discussion of all the issues, is likely to lead to young people delaying the initiation of intercourse and reducing the frequency of intercourse and number of sexual partners (Kirby et al. 1994, UNAIDS 1997a).

•Provide support to teachers: The lack of support for implementation of new programs is one of the most important factors affecting success. For most teachers both the content and methods of HIV/AIDS prevention programs are new and perhaps sensitive, and yet the approach has great potential to assist teachers both in their work and also their personal lives since HIV/AIDS is, of course, also affecting teachers. Sufficient support, training, practice and time needs to be available to teachers, in both pre- and in-service training sessions and workshops, to facilitate reflection and development of their own attitudes, and to motivate them to apply their new knowledge and skills, rather than continue with the more didactic, traditional teaching methods, which are often focused on information alone (Gatawa 1995, Gachuhi 1999). In addition, sufficient time and an appropriate place must also be given in the curriculum so that all students have access to HIV/AIDS prevention.

•Start early: As well as targeting adolescents, programs need to be targeted at children at an early age, with developmentally appropriate messages, before they leave school (Gachuhi 1999, Partnership for Child Development 1998). Because younger children are generally not sexually active, these programs will address the building blocks for healthy living and avoiding risk, rather than the very specific issues related to sexual relationships and HIV/AIDS which are progressively introduced to programs for older ages. However, the large number and diverse age range of children within primary schools is an enduring challenge, especially when addressing sensitive issues. Active and self-directed learning methods which are commonly used in education can be helpful in overcoming these classroom management issues to some extent.

•Provide a supportive environment: Schools need to have strong policies and a healthy supportive environment in terms of behavior of students towards each other, teachers and school personnel. Sexual abuse can occur in schools, with both boys and girls reporting abuse by school staff (Kinsman et al. 1999, Lowensen et al. 1996). Programs need to address this potential problem by training and supporting teachers, so that they can become role models rather than neutral or adverse figures in relation to sexual behavior.

•Respond to local needs: Many of the models for HIV/AIDS prevention have been developed in western, developed countries. The available evidence from developing countries, although more limited in scope than the studies from non-developing countries, supports skills-based health education for HIV/AIDS and reproductive health (Hubley, 2000). The main issue is that wherever programs are to be implemented they must be shaped to meet the local socio-cultural norms, values and religious beliefs, and need to include ongoing monitoring (Kirby et al 1994, UNAIDS 1999, Kinsman et al.1999).

Elements of a Health Education for HIV/AIDS prevention:

Reviews of school-based HIV/AIDS prevention programs (23 studies in the USA (Kirby et al. 1994), 37 other countries (reported in UNAIDS 1999) and 53 studies in USA, Europe and elsewhere (UNAIDS 1997a) have identified the following common characteristics of successful programs:

1.Focus on a few specific behavioral goals, (such as delaying initiation of intercourse or using protection), which requires knowledge, attitude and skill objectives.

2.Provision of basic, accurate information that is relevant to behavior change, especially the risks of unprotected intercourse and methods of avoiding unprotected intercourse. 3.Reinforcement of clear and appropriate values to strengthen individual values and group norms against unprotected sex.

4.Modeling and practice in communication and negotiation skills particularly, as well as other related “life skills”.

5.Use of Social Learning theories as a foundation for program development.

6.Addressing social influences on sexual behaviors, including the important role of media and peers.

7.Use of participatory activities (games, role playing, group discussions etc.) to achieve the objectives of personalizing information, exploring attitudes and values, and practicing skills.

8.Extensive training for teachers/implementers to allow them to master the basic information about HIV/AIDS and to practice and become confident with life skills training methods.

9.Support for reproductive health and HIV/STD prevention programs by school authorities, decision and policy makers, as well as the wider community.

10.Evaluation (e.g. of outcomes, design, implementation, sustainability, school, student and community support) so that programs can be improved and successful practices encouraged.

11.Age-appropriateness, targeting students in different age groups and developmental stages with appropriate messages that are relevant to young people. For example one goal of targeting younger students, who are not yet sexually active, might be to delay the initiation of intercourse, whereas for sexually active students the emphasis might be to reduce the number of sexual partners and use condoms.

12.Gender sensitive, for both boys and girls.

 Conclusions:

 Health Education with HIV/AIDS prevention offers an effective approach to equipping children and young people with the knowledge, attitudes and skills that they need to help them avoid risk taking behavior and adopt healthier life styles. The scope of health education means that it can be applied to a wide range of areas, especially STDs and HIV/AIDS prevention, but also including violence, substance abuse, unwanted situations such as early pregnancy and all areas where knowledge and attitudes play a critical role in promoting a healthy lifestyle for children and young people growing up in the 21st century. We can sum it in following points- •The constitutional rights of learners and educators must be protected equally.

•There should not be compulsory disclosure of HIV/AIDS status.

•No HIV positive learner or educator may be discriminated against.

 •Learners must receive education about HIV/AIDS and abstinence in the context of life- skills education as part of the integrated curriculum.

•Educational institutions should ensure that learners acquire age and context appropriate knowledge and skills to enable them to behave in ways that will protect them from infection.

•Educators need more knowledge of, and skills to deal with HIV/AIDS and should be trained to give guidance on HIV/AIDS.

Suggestions for implications for policies and programmes:

•Male and female condom promotion efforts need to recognize, identify and address gender issues including sexual and other forms of violence, that inhibit condom use.

•HIV/AIDS, peer education, and sex education programmes for adolescents that incorporate gender equality issues into their framework should be fostered. Such programmes should enable a better understanding of how norms related to masculinity and femininity may increase risky sexual behaviour, and help young people begin thinking about how to work towards equal and responsible relationships.

•Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) services should take into account the risk of violence and other adverse consequences when evaluating different approaches to disclosure. For example, patients can be given the choice of counsellor-mediated disclosure if that would help minimise adverse consequences.

•Both men and women should be involved in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMtCT) programmes. Antenatal services can educate men about sexuality, fertility and HIV prevalence to raise their awareness and sense of responsibility. This would avoid reinforcing the belief that women alone are responsible for pregnancy and for HIV transmission to the infant.

•Community Home Based Care (CBBC) approaches need to include a special effort to promote the role of men as care-givers in the family and community, and to provide adequate support and guidance to enable male participation. At the very least, such programmes should acknowledge that reliance on “home care” is, at present, largely reliance on “women’s care”.

References:

1.Fawole, I.O., Asuzu, M.C., Oduntan, S.O., Brieger, W.R. (1999). A school-based AIDS education program for secondary school students in Nigeria: a review of effectiveness. Health Education Research – Theory & Practice, 14: 675-683.

 2.Gachuhi, D. (1999). The impact of HIV/AIDS on education systems in the Eastern and Southern Africa region and the response of education systems to HIV/AIDS: Life Skills Programs.

3.Gatawa, B.G. (1995). Zimbabwe: AIDS Education for schools. Case Study. UNICEF Harare Zimbabwe.

4.Hubley, J. (2000). Interventions targeted at youth aimed at influencing sexual behavior and AIDS/STDs. Leeds Health Education Database, April 2000.

5.Kelly, M.J. (2000). Standing education on its head: Aspects of schooling in a world with HIV/AIDS. Current Issues in Comparative Education. 3(1).

6.Kinsman, J., Harrison, S., Kengeya-Kayondo, J., Kanyesigye, E., Musoke, S. & Whitworth, J. (1999). Implementation of a comprehensive AIDS education program for schools in Masaka District, Uganda. AIDS CARE, 11(5): 591-601.

7.Kirby, D., Short, L., Collins, J., Rugg, D. et al. (1994). School-based programs to reduce sexual risk behaviors: a review of effectiveness. Public Health Reports, 109(3): 339-361.

8.Lowensen, R., Edwards, L. & Ndlovu-Hove, P. (1996). Reproductive health rights in Zimbabwe. Training and Research Support Centre (TARSC).

9.UNAIDS (1997a). Impact of HIV and sexual health education on the sexual behavior of young people: a review update.

10.UNAIDS (1997b). Learning and teaching about AIDS at school. UNAIDS technical update, October 1997.

11.Walter, H. & Vaughan, R. (1993). AIDS risk reduction among a multiethnic sample of urban high school students. JAMA, 270(6): 725-730.

12.WHO (1996). Preventing HIV/AIDS/STI and related discrimination: an important responsibility of health promoting schools. WHO series on school health, document six.

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