Let's talk about sex: giving children knowledge is giving them power; the power to make better decicions about sex

Children and young people lack accurate and comprehensive knowledge of HIV and how to avoid its sexual transmission. The silence around sexuality in general and children's sexuality in particular generates misconceptions, myths and misinformation which contribute to children and adolescents' risky sexual practices. ARVIN BHANA, VELEPHI RIBA and MOHAMMED VAWDA report on a study to examine attitudes, practices and knowledge of sexuality, as well as gender, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV among children aged 5 to 17 years old in South Africa and Zambia.