Strategic Focus > AIDS
With its current HIV prevalence rate of 0.01% Sri Lanka has been categorized as a low prevalence country. However, it has all the necessary conditions to trigger a rapid spread of the virus. Effective campaigns to combat this may be implemented successfully with strengthened partnerships with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), the private sector and civil society organizations. In addition, most often condoms are currently used only for the prevention of pregnancy but not for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Most often, it is closely linked to power relations between men and women, such as;
  • Misconceptions on masculinity which encourage men to display their sexual prowess by having multiple sex partners.
  • The economic disadvantage women are faced with by having their husbands as sole breadwinners; which makes them vulnerable in decision making (bargaining) process of sexual relations.
Goal: To reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS among young women and men and decrease the degree of vulnerability, while ensuring full protection of the rights of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Main objectives:
  • To reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS specifically among young people in selected underserved districts.
  • To increase access to interventions that prevents and/or mitigates the incidence of HIV/AIDS and/or Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's) through integrated gender sensitive SRH programs.