The challenge for social research lies in developing sensible and useful explanations that guide what must be done in the face of appalling global inequality and adversity. Contrary to popular belief, social scientific understanding is neither commonsense nor self-indulgent obfuscation. Rather, it triggers the asking of critical questions about what guides the development and evaluation of programmes which, as Roy Anderson noted in his plenary address on Tuesday, help us understand what really works in HIV prevention and care. With respect to young people, for example, the importance of recognising them as sexually active was highlighted in study after study. Research from Yugoslavia, Cote d'Ivoire, Peru and Mexico emphasised young people's authentic sexual cultures in each country.
Sex is clearly meaningful for young people.
Yet, young people's views of sexual activity differ. Studies of same sex activity such as one conducted among university students in Chennai, India, suggest that one in six men have some homosexual experience. Together with studies highlighting the special difficulties faced by gay and lesbian teenagers in the USA, the UK and in Brazil, such research cautions strongly against the tendency to view young people as homogeneous or uniformly heterosexual. Despite little attention being given to injecting drug use at the conference, this phenomenon is spreading throughout Africa. Africa is increasingly being used for the trafficking of heroin and cocaine from producer countries to drug markets in Europe and North America.