World AIDS Day – United in the fight against HIV/AIDS

30 November 2011

On Thursday December 1st World AIDS Day will be celebrated worldwide and will provide an opportunity for people to unite in their fight against HIV/AIDS and to show their support for those living with HIV/AIDS.

While significant progress in achieving MDG6 – combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases – has been seen over the past decade, including an increase in treatment and a decline in the number of new infections, it is clear that more needs to be done to reach and increase understanding among the most marginalised children and youth.

It is estimated for example, that Sub-Saharan Africa alone is home to more than 2.3million children and youth living with HIV/AIDS, of which more than half are girls and young women.

Through a decentralised approach, Right To Play ensures that its programmes are relevant to and meeting the needs of the local context in which it works and as such, health components are a core element of all programming in countries where Right To Play operates across East and Southern Africa and West and Francophone Africa.

Right To Play programmes have an important role to play in contributing to the worldwide fight against HIV/AIDS. An external evaluation of programmes in Liberia found that the longer children participated in Right To Play activities, the higher they scored on HIV knowledge and attitude tests: 89% of children and youth provided correct responses to questions on HIV transmission and 73% correctly rejected myths about HIV/AIDS.

To commemorate World AIDS Day 2011, special activities have been planned by Right To Play in Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Burundi and South Sudan. Ranging from a full week of activities to one-day events, Right To Play’s celebrations clearly resonate David Cameron’s sentiments: ‘Today has got to be about action, individuals, charities, campaigners and government working together to address HIV/AIDS’ – World AIDS Day 2011.

Activities will include a silent candle lit walk with children, parents, coaches and government representatives in Burundi to promote every child’s right to be born free of HIV, and the right of every child living with HIV to live a life free from stigma; voluntary counselling and testing services and screening for CD4 Counts provided in collaboration with local partners in Tanzania and Uganda; and a two-day workshop for youth to increase knowledge of modes of transmission and protection methods in South Sudan.

‘The UK is meeting its international aid policies and must continue to also lead in the area of HIV/AIDS. Our HIV/AIDS programmes are integral to our work across Africa, implemented at the community level to ensure the full participation of children, youth, coaches, community members and government representatives. A community-based and partnership approach is the only way to effectively address and reduce stigma and discrimination, and work towards increasing understanding and promoting cohesion, and we are very excited by the activities that are taking place across all our programmes in Africa this week’ Stacey Cram – Advocacy and Campaigns Manager, Right To Play.

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