Problem Tree

PhotoVoice: What Issues are Important to You?

This was a photo that we took of some of our volunteers in our youth club (the Penyinar Club). Behind is a static display we made on HIV & AIDS. The event was an invitation from Narcotics Control Bureau in conjunction with International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking.

I took the photo to show that young people, despite their advantages also can contribute to in the effort in handling issues on HIV & AIDS.

This was a photo taken during one of our roadshow to schools on a programme called HIV Awareness Programme for Peers & Youth (HAPPY). It is a 2 hour programme teaching on HIV & AIDS basics. That is me there giving the briefing ; )

Brunei Darussalam's curriculum on sexuality matters can still be improved with a more comprehensive approach.

The photo above shows a Qurán reading session (religious) in the fasting month of Ramadhan. Shown are members of the Penyinar youth club.

Many people may think that religion can be a barrier in our HIV & AIDS approach, which, how I see it is, both can be integrated to each other to a more substantial comprehensive approach in Brunei Darussalam.

Assignment 1 – Know Your Epidemic, Part 1

NOTE: The answers that I post here are solely answers from my own perception and understandings, while at the same time try to be as valid as possible =) - Iswandy

A) Understand the HIV Epidemic in Your Country

Country Epidemic Information:

• How many people are currently living with

HIV in your country?

= 35 people (locals)

• How many new infections occurred in the

previous year?

= 11 cases (2009)

• How many people died of AIDS in the past

year?

= 21 deaths (collective)

• What is the social profile of the people living

with HIV (e.g., age, gender, social status,

etc.), and which populations are affected the

most by HIV?

= Can be found in "HIV Country Profile Brunei December 2009.ppt"

• How many children have been orphaned?

= N/A

• How many people living with HIV are on

antiretroviral therapy?

= As mentioned by Ministry of Health, all Bruneians & Permanent Residents are provided with ARV & counselling for free by the government

• How many young people are living with

HIV?

= 20 person of 20-29 years old have been diagnosed

• How many young women are living with

HIV?

= N/A (14 cases out of 56 ~25% are cases among females)

• What are the primary ways that people are

getting infected with HIV?

= In the past 5 years - Sexual (95%)

• What information is missing?

= ???

Social Inequities Information

• Do certain groups or people have higher rates of HIV than others? (such as men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, sex workers, migrants)

= Young people age of 20-29 comprise the largest age group diagnosed

• What social, economic, political and historical factors affect the life choices and behaviour of people from vulnerable groups (those with higher rates of HIV than others)?

=

• Population Mobility

• Changing behaviours & lifestyle

• Changing social structure & values

• How are young people affected differently by

HIV than other members of the population?

= ???

• Is gender inequality a key issue in your country?

= Not a massive issue, yet I perceive it acceptable as women have a generally quite a good social status in the country.

• Is poverty a key issue in your country?

= Despite our high level of Human Development Index (HDI), it was brought up by the government to reach Zero Poverty by (2015 or 2035, I can't recall well)

• Are health services accessible to everyone in your country or do certain groups face barriers

to access? Which groups have less access than others?

= Free Health Services is provided for Bruneians & Permanent Residents

• What types of human rights abuses are taking

place in your country?

= Minimal?

• How does your country criminalise the use of

drugs?

= Very strongly! Penalised by death for some cases.

• How does your country criminalise commercial

sex work?

= It is not acceptable by law?

• Is HIV transmission criminalised in your

country?

= Not sure.

• Is homosexuality criminalised in your country?

= Probably more to Syariah law?

• What are the rates of gender-based violence

in your country?

= Awareness raising is in the process...

• Is there stigma and discrimination against sexual minorities such as men who have sex with men and transgendered peoples?

= Quite high?

B) Understand the Current Response in Your Country

• What policies exist on HIV in your country?

= We do have a Communicable Disease Act but not too much that I know about.

• What policies on HIV do not exist in your country?

= We have no National Action Plan yet.

• Has your government set targets for achieving universal access?

= I read somewhere in our local newspaper a government officer mentioned we have reached all 8 MDG's (does that count?)

• Are any policies barriers to achieving universal access?

= Cultural & Religious Sensitivity?

• Are there time-bound targets directed towards young people and their experiences of HIV?

= N/A

Who is involved in the HIV response and what do they do?

• Which government ministries and departments are involved?

= Ministry of Health officially & we are trying to get other Ministries to be involved.

• Which organisations and groups provide HIV prevention education and services?

= Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council, an NGO which focuses on raising awareness on HIV & AIDS through education & events.

• Which other civil society constituencies such as faith, labour, women, business, men who have sex with men , people living with HIV, people who use drugs, migrants, transgendered peoples and more are involved in the response?

= Other NGO's & schools especially invites Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council & the Ministry of Health to their place to give awareness programmes on the issue. Not to forget Standard Chartered Bank which is commited in HIV & AIDS education.

• Which organisations and groups provide HIV testing?

= N/A

• Which organisations and groups provide people living with HIV access treatment, care and support?

= N/A

• Which organisations and groups mitigate HIV’s impacts on young people orphaned or

made vulnerable through the epidemic?

= N/A

• Are there organized groups of people living

with and affect by HIV?

= N/A

• Do any of these programmes have specific programs and services for young people?

= There is a youth club under the AIDS Council where it runs as a peer educators on HIV & AIDS and related issues.

C) Key Questions to Ask When Analyzing Documents

Young People in the National AIDS Plan and other Policy Documents:

NOTE: Honeslty, am not quite finished with this one =p - Iswandy

Google Map of e-Course Participants!

View World AIDS Campaign e-Course Participants in a larger map

A bit about yours truly =)

Hi... Iswandy here.

A bit of info about myself; a 25 year old HIV & AIDS activist in Brunei Darussalam who has been active doing that since 2004. Currently working as a teacher and my HIV & AIDS work is on a voluntary basis.

I am interested in HIV & AIDS issues and also issues affecting young people. Being a graduate of Diploma in Youth Development Work, the course has made me more aware of the issues themselves.

Here I am in the e-course *yeay!* What I intend to get out of this e-course is to enhance my understanding on the issue of HIV & AIDS that affects young people and learn best practices to be applied in my country. Currently in Brunei Darussalam, there are 56 cumulative local cases of HIV & AIDS, where 20 person are of 20-29 years old (Brunei Darussalam population is approximately 400,000).

In the NGO that I volunteered (Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council or BDAC for short), I am currently holding the Vice President of Activities & Events position. The Executive Committee's members are a mix of young people and adult. Oh, under BDAC, there is a youth club called Penyinar Club (bdac_penyinar.webs.com) where the members are between 14-25.

These young members main objective is to raise awareness on HIV & AIDS among young people in Brunei Darussalam. We also have a project called HIV Awareness Programme for Peers & Youth (HAPPY), which is an educational roadshow talk that goes to schools, youth clubs etc to teach the basics of HIV & AIDS to youngsters (by youngsters!)

Looking forward for the next 2 months (& the great months after that!) =)

p/s: the photo was taken at International Convention Centre in Brunei and was made by the Penyinar members themselves (try to look for me in the photo, hehe)