God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

“A comprehensive HIV prevention package includes, but is not limited to, delaying sexual debut, mutual fidelity, reduction of the number of sexual partners, avoidance of penetration, safer sex including correct and consistent male and female condom use, and early and effective treatment for sexually transmitted infections.”

This statement of UNAIDS from 2008 is as valid today as it was at that time. What I like on this statement is that it really tries to cover all aspects of prevention without favouring one or the other or to demonise on or the other method of prevention. I guess this is the most important in prevention work as I do understand it: having no fear to discuss and name all aspects of preventing HIV transmission and giving the participants of workshops the tools to decide for themselves what and how they choose to protect themselves. Demonising either condoms or faithfulness or abstinence does not make any sense. And only naming what ones own ideology or faith seems to prescribe to oneself is also not enough. Diversity of prevention possibilities which could fit different lifestyle situations are important.

Doing prevention work, we last but not least must learn that at the end, we cannot change the behavior of the people, everybody can change only him- or herself. And we as activists are not responsible for what people doing, we are only responsible to give the utmost attention to detail to provide accurate and meaningful information.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, activists, condom, diversity, female condom, hiv, HIV Prevention, hiv transmission, male condom, penetration, safe sex, safer sex, sex, sexual, sexual conduct, sexual partner, sexual transmitted disease, STD, STI, unaids