WCC - EHAIA RESPONDING TO THE HIV / AIDS CRISIS IN AFRICA

Background: When the Dutch settlers anchored in the Cape of Good Hope in April 1652 little did the indigenous people know that contact with them would profoundly change their entire social fabric and dictate a new and arduous course of history. From that historical moment of contact henceforth, foreign missionaries, colonial administrators and overseas anthropologists and historians painted in the most gruesome terms a bleak picture of the African continent (Mwakabana 2002:12)…

SACCYF SACCYF is the youth structure of SACC. Its purpose is to work and collaborate with church youth, church youth leaders of the member churches of SACC and other youth organisation in communities. It is an ecumenical youth organisation with an ecumenical agenda, committed to growth, promotes self reliance, youth leadership development and the holistic transformative development through the proclamation of the holistic gospel of Jesus Christ. SACCYF together with church youth work amongst young people to conduct advocacy on socio – economic justice, peace, human rights and for responsible and accountable leadership in South Africa. SACCYF utilise its influence to mobilize church youth on issues of common mission and identity.

Where lies Hope for South African people? – According to (LJ Teffo: 2003: 166) he responds to the above question by saying that our hope lies in a spiritual regeneration informed by a people’s history, their present existential experience and indeed the beings they aspire to be. Elephant in the Room?

HOW WE RESPONDED?

SANAC – YOUTH SECTOR

SANAC NSP Give us clear direction Be multi-sectoral in focus Build upon past successes Address past shortcomings Include the game changers Provide the pillars and objectives List the strategic enablers Be appropriately concise and not lost in detail Be realistic and achievable

STRATEGIC PILLARS Pillar 1: Universal HIV testing and TB screening Pillar 2: Sustain health and wellness Pillar 3: Increase safety and reduce vulnerability Pillar 4: Changing societal norms and values

KEY POPULATIONS Globally, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender people (TG), sex workers (SW), injecting drug users (IDU), prisoners, and migrant Populations have been shown to be at disproportionate risk for HIV infection. In South Africa an estimated: – 9.2% of all new HIV infections are related to MSM and – 19.8% are related to commercial sex work.

TB has long being described as a disease of poverty, but it is also the result of policies that create unhealthy environments such as overcrowding and poor working conditions HIV transmission has also been fuelled by migrant labour practices, concurrent and multiple partners, lack of social cohesion and lack of early access to a comprehensive package of prevention and treatment interventions Comprehensive approach is essential to: Address structural and social factors that drive the epidemic; Influence social norms that impact on behaviour and incidence; Transform educational responses; and Improve understanding of the transformative nature of education HEALTH PROBLEMS

GAME CHANGERS The education sector therefore can play a critical role in shaping societal norms and values and teachers are both vectors of social norms and change agents – However, the education sector cannot change society on its own Other social processes and actors are needed to complement the work of this sector, including faith-based organisations, and social associations (e.g. sport). Men and boys as partners need to be mobilised to understand the importance of gender equality (including the need to change norms related to male masculinity), communities must understand the importance of keeping girls in school, and the increase in risky behaviour with alcohol and substance abuse

Def: It is the bonds that brings people together in society, particularly in the context of religious, cultural, racial diversity, social solidarity…. Manifestation of Social Fragmentation Youth Unemployment Poverty & Underdevelopment Substance Abuse Politics (Marikana), Education, Cycles of Abuse and Inequality SOCIAL COHESION

Thank You!