It
takes some time and circling around the backyards of Ulaanbaatar
to find the office of “Youth for Health”, a voluntary
organization. Neither the neighbors nor the landlord know, what
these tenants are doing.
It is an organization run by gay men, who are significantly
contributing to the battle against HIV in Mongolia. Their activities
are supported by Mongolian Red Cross, which they describe as
their best and biggest confidential partner.
One of these articulate young men has a degree in International
Relations and French, another in Geology, and he is now taking
a second degree in Banking. For them it is not possible to live
openly as a gay person in Mongolia. Therefore, it is vital of
having a good safe space for running their activities, which
provide sexual health education, emotional support and counseling,
and also training for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases
prevention. The centre has also a website, which is visited
by hundreds of people each month.
Despite the fact that gay people still have to live secretively,
Mongolia is a country, which is fighting HIV and AIDS on a wide
front. There is a good chance that it is winning battle against
the lethal disease. Although the number of sexually transmitted
diseases is high in Mongolia, there have been only twenty-five
reported cases of HIV since 1992. This year the number of new
cases reported is nine of the total population of about two
and a half million.
Although the figures are low, Mongolia is a high risk country
on the HIV and AIDS world map.
Mongolia is in a drastic socio-economic transition with the
traditional values disappearing.
Alcoholism and prostitution gnaw the Mongolian society. The
most vulnerable are the people who have lost their traditional
livelihoods as herders in the countryside, and are now living
jobless in the outskirts of larger towns.
In the battle against the epidemic, journalists are high on
the agenda of the Mongolian Red Cross. Journalists have been
invited to several workshops on HIV and AIDS, and they have
also been able to meet with people who are living with HIV or
have AIDS. In one of the exercises in working groups the journalists
have been practicing skills, how to use the right words when
addressing the issue. Competitions to reward the best articles
or news stories on HIV and AIDS have also been organized.
In one Red Cross workshop, which we attended in November, journalists
from the all the main Mongolian media expressed strong interest
on HIV. They were keen to learn about the government’s
strategy. They also expressed serious concern about the human
rights and confidentiality issues related to HIV and AIDS.
The Mongolian Red Cross will mark the World AIDS Day in the
beginning of December by organizing a train campaign on the
Mongolian leg of the trans-Siberian railway. The campaign will
target the train attendants and passengers, mainly traders,
traveling between Russia and China.
A special HIV and AIDS campaign carriage will be attached to
the train heading for the Russian border, and then to the Chinese
border. Special events will also be organized at the stations
with the distribution of condoms and information leaflets. The
Chinese Red Cross and the Inner Mongolia Red Cross Branch will
also participate in the outdoor campaign at the Chinese border.
Mongolian Red Cross HIV/AIDS programs are supported by the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Australian
Red Cross and ART network.
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In
the battle against the epidemic, journalists are high
on the agenda of the Mongolian Red Cross. Journalists
have been invited to several workshops on HIV and AIDS,
and they have also been able to meet with people who are
living with HIV or have AIDS. (p15072)
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Preparations
are on the way in the office of "Youth for Health"
NGO for marking World AIDS Day. (p15073)
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