Do Something to Fight AIDS!
Today is World AIDS Day!
Today, the 1st of December is commemorated as World AIDS Day, a day when individuals and organizations from across the globe come together to call attention to the global AIDS epidemic. This year marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. While progress has been made in the past 20 years, there remains much more to be done.
Youth at the 2008 AIDS Conference in Mexico City
This year’s World AIDS Day theme is ‘Lead-Empower-Deliver.’ IPPF Member Associations from across Latin America and the Caribbean are doing just that on this important day. In particular, they’ve helped galvanize youth to lead, empower, and deliver information and education to their peers. Here are some examples of activities happening around the region today:
In Honduras, which has the highest prevalence of HIV in Central America, youth volunteers will be reaching out to their peers in public fairs in city plazas and parks. Using a mobile kiosk, they will provide information and condom demonstrations, and make referrals to the ASHONPLAFA clinic for HIV and STI tests.
Youth at a soccer match in Peru, promoting the use of condoms
Our Member Association in Peru, INPARRES, will kick off a five-day campaign, promoted in the local newspaper, to offer counseling and rapid HIV tests, especially to young people. The team estimates that they will reach more than 1000 individuals in these five days alone.
In El Salvador, youth volunteers will be stationed at intersections near the Salvadorian Demographic Association’s clinic in San Salvador, distributing prevention and testing information to vehicle drivers stopped at stoplights.
In the Caribbean – which has the world’s second highest-prevalence of HIV after sub-Saharan Africa– our Member Associations also plan to engage in educational and referral activities. Our Member Association in Haiti will conduct an ‘Open House Day,’ where radio messages promote HIV testing services for young people. Last year the Profamil clinic in the town of Jacmel provided more than 75 tests to young people on World AIDS Day alone.
Profamil clinic in Jacmel
Our Jamaican Member Association, FAMPLAN and the Youth Advocacy Movement, Y.A.M. Jamaica will be hosting a Health Fair, targeting the tourism sector. Tourism is a mainstay of the Jamaican economy so working with people who work in the industry is an excellent way to reach young professionals on the island. The Health Fair will be hosted at FAMPLAN's Headquarters on December 6th. Y.A.M. members will go to the communities of St. Ann on that day to give out condoms, brochures and to also promote VCT services.
IPPF/WHR maintains its commitment to HIV not only on World AIDS, but as one of the pillars of all work in sexual and reproductive health. In particular, Member Associations are reaching out to and serving key youth populations. In Trinidad & Tobago for example, the Member Association is working with young sex workers in Port of Spain, training and empowering them to serve as peer educators and improving the accessibility of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services to meet their particular needs. Profamilia, the Colombian Member Association, continues its leadership in the area of youth and HIV, having established the country’s first center for Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (GLBT) youth, which not only provides tailored sexual and reproductive health services, but also creates a safe community space for sexually diverse young people. The Member Association in Guyana holds self-help and support groups for young people living with HIV, which has had a great impact on its members who experience frequent stigma and discrimination in their own communities.
You have a part to play in ending the epidemic: DO SOMETHING!
READ more information about IPPF/WHR’s work in HIV by reading the publication Youth Sexuality: Confronting HIV/AIDS. The publication highlights various local and regional projects and partnerships as well as the integration of HIV into youth Sexual and Reproductive Health programs. Some highlights of the publication include our work with youth that live and work on the streets in Bolivia, HIV prevention for youth via our mobile health units, MEXFAM's condonerias - a condom store that serves as an erotic and creative space, Jamaica's new Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing promotional activities and Suriname's public condom dispensers. Click this link to download the publication.
GET INVOLVED in World AIDS Day by visiting: http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/en/Get-Involved
KNOW YOUR STATUS. Find out where you can get tested for HIV:
In the USA visit www.hivtest.org
In the USA and Canada visit the AIDS/STD Helplines at www.thebody.com/index/hotlines.html
In the United Kingdom visit http://www.fpa.org.uk/finder/
Anywhere else in the world – contact your health-care provider, who will be able to tell you the nearest place where you can be tested.
LEAD - EMPOWER - DELIVER - GET INVOLVED!
