Mahon: Battling HIV/AIDS in South Africa: One Goal at a Time

[Guest guest]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-mahon/battling-hivaids-in-south_b_624453.html

JUNE 25, 2010

Mahon

Executive Director, MAC AIDS Fund

Posted:

June 24, 2010 05:33 PM

Battling HIV/AIDS in South Africa: One Goal at a Time

Since

the 2010 World

Cup kicked off, we

have all been focused on the 32 teams who earned a spot in the tournament.

Those of us whose teams did not make the event have long, sad stories as to how

they were felled and are supporting adopted teams with equal force. We are also

watching to see which players will be champions in play and spirit. Regardless,

the World Cup has given many of us the extraordinary opportunity to connect and

bond with citizens from several countries around the world.

As a global community, we need to unite and root

for South Africa in the battle against its most glaring health problem - the

HIV/AIDS epidemic. Much of the press coverage around social issues in South

Africa over the past week or so has focused on the high AIDS rates but few have

mentioned one of the largest drivers of the disease -- sexual violence against

girls and young boys. All of the AIDS education in schools and billboard

campaigns in the world will not effectively tackle the South African AIDS

epidemic unless we create and support programs that honestly confront this

national and international sorrow.

To

address the increasing number of HIV/AIDS cases in South Africa, one organization is using the country's love for soccer

to keep children engaged, empowered and most importantly, away from dangers that

can put them at risk to transmission.

The

statistics cannot be ignored. South Africa has the largest burden of HIV/AIDS in the world, with more than 5.7

million people - nearly 1 in 6 - living with HIV. The number of children

between 0 and 14-years old living with HIV in South Africa has reached 280,000

cases. HIV is predominantly transmitted heterosexually through sexual

intercourse. In many cases, the intercourse is forced upon young women, and HIV

is then transmitted as a result of sexual violence.

In an

attempt to address this troubling situation, the M•A•C AIDS Fund recently collaborated with Grassroot Soccer,

an international charity that uses sports-themed activities to educate children

in the world's most HIV-affected countries. The attention surrounding theWorld Cup presented

a unique opportunity for Grassroot Soccer to launch a series of programs to

engage children in South Africa and initiate a global movement against the

HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Throughout

June and July, the Grassroot Soccer team of coaches and volunteers launched " Skillz " camps

to coincide with the World Cup. These programs are intended to reduce the risk

of children contracting HIV by keeping them healthy, safe and active during

their six weeks off from school. The Grassroot Soccer facilities in South

Africa provide a safe place for kids to watch the World Cup games and participate

in activities including their own soccer matches. Grassroot Soccer also uses

these camps as an opportunity to educate youth about HIV/AIDS and some of its

key drivers including violence and inter-generational relationships. Curricula

topics include making healthy decisions, avoiding risks, building support

networks, reducing stigma and discrimination, increasing knowledge about HIV

testing and treatment, addressing gender issues, and assessing one's own

attitudes and values.

For years, HIV cases in South

Africa have been disproportionately concentrated among women and girls. In

sub-Saharan Africa, young women between 15 and 24-years old account for 75% of

total HIV infections. In South Africa specifically, a young woman is four times

more likely to be HIV-positive than a South African young man, making the need

for programs like Skillz Street crucial.

This

week in London the Elton AIDS Foundation, a global

organization committed to funding HIV awareness, counseling and testing, hosted

the White Tie & Tiara Ball. The event was intended to raise money for

" Skillz Street, " a Grassroot Soccer street soccer program designed

specifically for young women. The program was piloted this year with young

women in Khayelitsha, a township outside of Cape Town, who were at risk of or

had experienced sexual violence. Representatives from the M•A•C AIDS Fund were delighted to attend

and surprised attendees with a £100,000 pledge to the Elton AIDS

Foundation to support the continuation and expansion of the Skillz Street

program.

Studies

from Rwanda, Tanzania and South Africa show up to three-fold increases in HIV

risk among women who have experienced violence compared to those who have not.

As the movie 2009 film Precious so

graphically illustrated however, sub-Saharan Africa is by no means the only region

in which sexual violence against young people damages lives and fuels HIV. We

see similar stories also in Jamaica as well as other sub-Saharan countries like

Lesotho and Swaziland.

The

Global AIDS Alliance, an organization dedicated to putting an end to HIV/AIDS

and mitigate its impacts on poor countries hardest hit by the pandemic, revealed that one in three women around the world

will experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse in her lifetime. One in

five will be a victim of rape or attempted rape. Studies show that women who

have experienced violence may be up to three times more likely to acquire HIV

than women who have not. While the reasons for this transmission can be varied,

the majority of cases are a result of unprotected sexual assault. The

M•A•C AIDS Fund is a proud partner of the Global AIDS Alliance and

continues to support its campaign to end violence against women.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a

deeply rooted, global problem. While the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in women, men

and children is related to various country-specific socioeconomic issues such

as violence, gender inequality and poverty, we as a global community must first

acknowledge this problem and most importantly, unite in our fight against it.

Schechtman

Policy Director

Global AIDS

Alliance

1121 14th Street

NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC

20005

+1-202-789-0432

x203

lschechtman@...

www.globalaidsalliance.org

Skype:

lisa.schechtman