Guest post as part of the I Live Out Loud project.

Young people are especially vulnerable to HIV; every day an estimated 6,000 youth become infected worldwide.

In Jamaica, despite many interventions, including television ads, school tours, campaigns supported by dancehall and reggae artistes and increase in HIV testing, HIV transmission among young people continues to show little signs of progress. Young people, 15–24 years, account for 0.90% of HIV cases and young men who have sex with men (MSM) in Jamaica are at even higher risk of contracting HIV.

In many countries, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth face significant difficulties accessing HIV and AIDS information, prevention and treatment services. Within this group, young men who have sex with men (MSM) experience significantly higher rates of HIV prevalence compared to other young people.

In Jamaica, there are an estimated 28,000 men who have sex with men (MSM) and are 17 times more at risk of HIV infection. In 2011, the HIV rate among MSM was 31.8% compared to a national prevalence rate is 1.7%.

See attached this new factsheet Turning the Tide: HIV and LGBT Young People for more information

Focus Right-LGBT Youth & Human Rights in Jamaica

Turning the Tide-HIV and LGBT Youth