The book shows that while gender inequalities in society generally, and particularly within the education sector, are driving aspects of the HIV epidemic, educational settings can be empowering and bring about change. It examines different expectations of what HIV education programmes and education settings can do to transform unequal gender relations and protect young people against HIV and AIDS and contribute to care for those affected and infected. It warns that an uncritical acceptance that education is a social vaccine protecting young people from HIV infection can be misleading and demonstrates that, to be effective, HIV and AIDS education must be based on a sensitive understanding of social and cultural context and the complexities of young people's lives. The book illustrates the importance of democratic learning environments informed by evidence-based policy, implemented with leadership for transforming deeply held values and beliefs regarding sexual behaviour and sexuality.

Sheila Aikman Sheila Aikman has worked with a wide range of NGOs from community-based and regional federations of indigenous peoples in South America to international NGOs such as the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, Copenhagen, and Oxfam GB where she held the post of Global Education Policy Adviser prior to joining UEA and DEV in March 2008.

Elaine Unterhalter Elaine Unterhalter is a reader in Education and International Development at the Institute of Education, University of London. Together with Sheila Aikman she co-ordinates the ‘Beyond Access: Gender, Education and Development’ project. Her books include Gender, Schooling and Global Social Justice (Routledge, 2006), Beyond Access (with Sheila Aikman, Oxfam, 2005) and Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach and Social Justice in Education (with Melanie Walker, Palgrave, 2007).

Tania Boler Tania Boler is Head of Research at Marie Stopes International, an international NGO specialising in sexual and reproductive health. Prior to this, she was at UNESCO and ActionAid where she researched and published extensively on the education sector response to HIV and AIDS. Her books include The Politics of Prevention: A Global Crisis in AIDS and Education (with David Archer, 2008, Pluto Press).