We promote a comprehensive approach to AIDS, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections (STI). This strategy includes access to prevention, treatment, and care, with an understanding that a synergy among these elements is a vital component in the global fight against AIDS.

While often overlooked within the global perspective, the Latin American and Caribbean region is at a crucial tipping point where prevention efforts and access to AIDS/HIV/STI treatment could determine the future of the epidemic in the region. As providers of sexual health education and services, our Member Associations offer a strategic response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, as well as other sexually transmitted infections.

Prevention, Counseling, and Testing
Across the region, our clinics serve as key access points for raising awareness about HIV, helping people to know their status, and understand how to protect themselves and their partners from infection. Recent data reveals a severe shortage of condoms among Southern nations. For many people in the region condoms are expensive and often not available. For this reason, our prevention strategy focuses on making this important method affordable and accessible for all. Our Member Associations continue to expand voluntary HIV counseling and testing, both in terms of the number of clinic sites that offer testing, as well as the number of clients served.

Confronting Stigma and Discrimination
We recognize that factors such as homophobia, gender discrimination, and misinformation drive the HIV epidemic as much as behaviors that lead to infection.Through community outreach programs and public education campaigns, our Member Associations clarify the myths surrounding HIV and AIDS and encourage people to protect themselves and seek the testing and care they may need.

Integrating HIV within Sexual and Reproductive Health
Historically, funding, research, and programs targeting HIV and AIDS worked separately from other sexual and reproductive health concerns. As major providers of sexual education and health services, particularly for young people and women, our Member Associations offer a major opportunity to respond to HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Addressing other Sexually Transmitted Infections
The urgency of the HIV/AIDS epidemic resulted in a gap in the response to other sexually transmitted infections (STI). Chlamydia, syphilis, and other STIs remain prevalent in Latin America and the Caribbean, causing dangerous health effects ranging from infertility to premature births. We emphasize the need to provide STI testing and treatment services and recognize the link these services provide between sexual and reproductive health and HIV.

Partnerships
Our Member Associations and the Regional Office work in partnership with non-governmental organizations, groups of people living with HIV/AIDS, National AIDS Programs and other agencies and organizations to scale up national and regional responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This includes partnerships at the regional and global levels, including with UNFPA and UNAIDS.

IPPF/WHR’s efforts within the region also include the translation of current HIV/AIDS research and tools into Spanish, expanding access to health resources in Latin America and the Caribbean.