A major new report released by the United Nations finds that a large majority of young people around the world have no idea how HIV/AIDS is transmitted or how to protect themselves. The report, "Young People and HIV/AIDS: Opportunity in Crisis," is the first of its kind to take a global look at the HIV-risk behavior and knowledge of youths aged 15-24.

Young people are at the center of the HIV/AIDS crisis � 50% of all new HIV infections worldwide occur among this age group. �Every day 6,000 young people get infected with HIV,� states UNAIDS executive director Peter Piot. �Each one of these infections can be prevented.� So, while they�re the hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic, they�re also the key to AIDS prevention.

To find out more about the global youth AIDS crisis, read parts of the report.

To help with prevention efforts in your community, learn about becoming an HIV/AIDS activist or peer educator. Find out how by clicking here.

You can also advocate for better sex education (including HIV education) in your school with The Roadmap.

How much do you know about HIV/AIDS? Test your knowledge with one of these quizzes from Unicef.org and Avert.org.

Take a look at past Sex Matters features.