Youth Next Level: Guidance to Strengthen Sustainable Youth-led HIV Responses

Young people, disproportionately affected by HIV, play a pivotal role in effective HIV responses. Their skills, lived experiences, and unique perspectives must inform efforts at local, national, regional, and global levels. A 2021 scoping review highlights the significant advantages of peer- and community-led approaches over other methods, identifying over 40 positive outcomes. These include enhanced HIV-related knowledge, behavior change, health literacy, adherence, viral suppression, improved service access and quality, and structural improvements such as reduced clinic waiting times and expanded service coverage. While some studies reported mixed results, community-led responses remain vital to health equity, ensuring no one is left behind, promoting health as a human right, and driving innovation and reach that other sectors cannot achieve.