AEGiS-14IAC: Cultural weapons in the AIDS struggle.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Cultural weapons in the AIDS struggle.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. ThOrE1455)

Mashinini Z
Gauteng Health Department, Johannesburg, South Africa

ISSUES: Cultural interventions to overcome denial ensure an appropriate context for communication and facilitate a response to social factors driving the HIV epedemic. Work is done in contemporary and traditional cultural contexts.

DESCRIPTION: Cultural interventions are used in a range of contexts: - Traditional song and dance with migrant workers - Contemporary music with urban youth - Gospel artists with the religious sector - Drama in schools. Youth led drama groups reached 560 000 youth in schools in the first year. The hostel programme in 41 hostels has broken through denial. Gospel artists gained the support of Africanist Churches. Working with musicians, artists on radio, millions of youth have been reached. The media is responsive to AIDS issues. This cultural intervention draws on strong local traditions of song and dance and community solidarity. It has powerful meaning for most of the population. In addition ours is a verbal culture, relying largely on face-to-face communication . The AIDS programme has supported both song and dance and modern youth culture. The approach is key in our social environment.

ISSUES: 1.Cultural activities need to be integrated into mobilisation, communication and educational programmes. 2.Cultural work adds value in mobilising for change. 3.Indigenous African culture, both tradional and modern, has special strengths we can mobilize. It builds humanism and social values in the face of degredation produced by poverty combined with materialism. 4.Cultural work is under-utilised because it is poorly understood, especially in the field of public health.

RECOMMENDATIONS: 1.Cultural interventions should be integrated into AIDS programmes. 2.Skills in the field of cultural interventions need to be developed. 3.Sustainability of cultural interventions should be insured. 4.Cultural interventions are a key factor in unleashing capacity for change.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Culture, Health Services Needs and Demand, Ethnic Groups, Adolescent, Human, ethnology

020707
ThOrE1455