Red Ribbon Club
The RRC aims at harnessing the potential of the youth by equipping them with correct information on HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care, Support and Treatment. It also aims to build their capacity as peer educators to spread messages among youth on HIV/AIDS, positive health behaviour, creating enabling environment and increasing awareness on voluntary blood donation. Through the RRCs youth are encouraged to learn about safe and healthy lifestyles. The RRC promotes access to information on safe sexual behaviors and voluntary blood donation as well as enable them to become change agents in HIV/AIDS programme. Red Ribbon Club is about making “Responsible Choices for Healthy Life”.It is an effort to create a vibrant community of all Red Ribbon Clubs and Activists through sharing of knowledge, innovative ideas, queries, showcasing experiences and efforts on a common platform with a Vision of Getting to Zero.
OBJECTIVES :-
1. To reduce new HIV infection among youth by raising their risk
perception through awareness on sex, sexuality and HIV/AIDS.
2. To induce among youth the spirit to help and support people living
with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVs) thereby reducing stigma and discrimination.
3. To motivate youth and build their capacity as peer educators and
change agents by developing their skills on leadership, negotiation,
and team building.
4. To promote voluntary blood donation among youth.
KEY AREAS OF RRC:-
1. Vibrancy of Youth: Tap the vibrancy of Youth and channel the
energy of the youth in a positive direction.
2. Sex & Sexuality, HIV/AIDS & STI: Provide access to correct
information on sexuality, HIV/AIDS, STI and other youth related
issues in an enabling environment to promote healthy life styles.
3. Peer Education: Develop a cadre of Peer Educators among youth.
4. Voluntary Blood Donation: Promote voluntary non-remunerated
blood donation.
Role of the RRC:- The RRC in the educational institutions/non academic institutions to target the youth in the age group of 15-29 years, will seek to initiate efforts to:-
1. Educate youth with correct, concise and adequate information about
HIV/AIDS and heighten their level of awareness about HIV/AIDS/
STI/ sexuality and other related issues (thus eliminate myths and
misconceptions).
2. Enable youth, especially the females, to identify and understand
situations of exploitation and abuse and how to deal with the
situation.
3. Sensitize the youth regarding care and support needs of the people
living with HIV & AIDS (PLHIVs) and instill insight in them for
helping and supporting PLHIVs and reduce the stigma
and discrimination against them.
4. Increase awareness about available health care services related to
STI / HIV/ AIDS/ drug abuse.
5. Create linkages between youth and governmental, non-governmental
agencies and community based organizations to access safer and
responsible healthy behaviour.
6. Facilitate voluntary blood donation camps with the help of District
Blood Bank and mobilize the youth for voluntary blood donation.
7. Create a cadre of peer educators among the youth for seeking and
encouraging positive health behavior as well as ensuring
sustainability of the club.
Coverage of Scheme:- The RRC scheme targets youths who are in the age group of 15-29 years. The scheme will cover all educational institutions like Universities, Colleges, Polytechnics and non-academic institutions such as art colleges.
Why Red : Red like Love, as a symbol of passion and tolerance for those affected. Red like blood, representing the pain suffered by the many people who have died of AIDS. Red like the anger over the helplessness . we are facing for a disease which still has no cure. Red as a sign of warning to not carelessly ignore one of the biggest problems of our time.
What is Red Ribbon?
A global symbol created in1991 in New York.
Solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS & aimed at uniting the people in the common fight against the disease.
HIV/AIDS Youth Scenario
10 Million youth (aged 15-24) worldwide are living with HIV.
New Infections / day: 6,000 youths
In India: 15-29 years aged people- 31% of the AIDS burden.
In view of this, MOHFW, Govt. of India has proposed to establish a network with Universities and educational institutions.
In Delhi (ICTC data): prevalence of HIV Infection in 15-25 years age group is 1.94%.
Rationale behind focusing Youth
Sexual curiosity and risky behavior.
Limited access to correct information.
Formal Education Institute are generally silent on psycho-social aspects of physical growth and sexuality leading to mystification and secrecy around sex.
The epidemic among the youth remains largely invisible.
The youth are economically dependent and socially inexperienced and generally have less access to health care than adults.
Youth are the potential change agents who can protect themselves from the lurking of AIDS as well as be ambassadors in the fight against HIV & AIDS in particular.