The rapidly growing incidence of this yet incurable disease forces all of us to examine the factors that underlie the know modes of transmission of this globally threatening virus.

The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, in review of the present status of acquired immunodeficency syndrome (AIDS) prevention methods and plans, and in the light of its 50 years of experience with youth in combating sexual prejudices, feels that:

• The society’s most effective weapon in preventing transmission of human immunodeficency virus (HIV) is to provide children, adolescents and young adults with an experience – oriented educational curriculum in the basic human values of self-love and dignity. This is so because the changing pressures of time have increasingly deprived the children of these values in the natural environment of "home" – an entity becoming less and less available and affordable;

• Any measures taken in the area of reproductive health education or services should also be complemented by an effort to instill a sense of reproductive or sexual responsibility in the individual. This task of ethical education, which is commonly perceived as an arena of the church, if also shared by the State, could prove very effective in this battle against AIDS

• Simple programmes may be instituted to replace high-risk behaviour with skills-promoting behaviour that also helps to improve the social commitment of youth.