Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - November 27, 2006
Helena Laatio
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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