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July 2007, EAST LOMBOK, West Nusa Tenggara: Low awareness
on reproductive health, including HIV/AIDS among West Nusa
Tenggara population remains an issue that requires continuous
information dissemination and public education. Together with
Yayasan Santai, a local non-profit organization, UNFPA reaches
out to high risk groups, comprising of adolescents, motorcycle
drivers and migrant workers living in East Lombok through
counseling and education sessions.
East Lombok is a district of 1 million populations with an
income per capita of Rp3.3 million per year. There are around
60,000 migrant workers and reportedly 60,000 others are working
illegally abroad and the latter are especially prone to experience
various types of violence and abuses. “Most are poor
farmers and to make ends meet many adolescents here work as
motorcycle drivers or migrant workers,” said a staff
with Yayasan Santai.
UNFPA Representative Dr. Zahidul Huque in an informal gathering
with local community highlighted the fact that youth is a
development asset and strong community bond is a social capital
that is much needed in the fight against HIV/AIDS. “Besides
HIV/AIDS prevention, we also need to end social stigma attached
to people living with HIV/AIDS. Avoid the virus but not the
people with HIV/AIDS,” he said.
Dr. Huque also used the forum to encourage youth to exercise
their rights by seeking information related to adolescent
reproductive health and accessing health care. Information,
he added, allows youth to make informed choices, thus helps
protect themselves from infections, such as sexually transmitted
diseases and HIV/AIDS.
A religious leader Tadjuddin admitted that local communities
are lacking of health and HIV/AIDS information and that the
community and religious leaders – who should also be
in the lead in disseminating health information to the public
- have not yet taken significant roles in raising community
awareness. “Community and religious leaders need to
be equipped with key messages on HIV/AIDS so we all can take
part in educating the public,” Tadjuddin said.
For further information, please contact:
Maria Endah Hulupi
Communications Officer
HP: 0812 1115 116
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