Mexican officials on Wednesday announced their intention to promote sex education among young people in the country in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV, Xinhuanet reports.

Speaking at a youth presentation in advance of next week's XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, Ricardo Baruch, International AIDS Society youth program coordinator, said that sex education is a "right" and "should be promoted by all means available." Baruch added that sex education has a wide reach but is inexpensive and therefore cost efficient, Xinhuanet reports. Jorge Saavedra -- director of Censida, the National Center for the Control of HIV/AIDS in Mexico -- said that improving sex education among teenagers is a challenge. According to Saavedra, sex education should cover the proper use of condoms and safer-sex relations among young people. Priscila Vera, director of the Mexican Youth Institute, said that condoms will be handed out at no cost to young people in the coming months (Xinhuanet, 7/31).

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