Historic Move Forward for Sexual Health

A historic move forward for sexual health as leaders pledge to take action to stop HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean

The first meeting of the ministers of education and health to prevent HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean took place in Mexico City on August 1, 2008. The result is a groundbreaking HIV prevention declaration to promote sexual health and comprehensive sexuality education in schools. This declaration was signed by all the ministers of health and education in the region—a historic cooperation between these government sectors. In an effort to prevent HIV transmission among young people and to promote sexual health, leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean have formally committed to take action. Comprehensive sexuality education programs in school will cover a broad range of topics including biological information, social and cultural information with discussion on gender, diversity of sexual orientation and identity, along with ethics and human rights. The declaration also recognized the responsibility of the state to promote human development, including education and health, as well as to combat discrimination.

Many sexuality experts have worked years to help draft the declaration, including Eli Coleman, PhD, who served as an advisor along with technical experts from United Nations agencies, academics, and civil society representatives. The ministers’ meeting corresponds with the seventeenth International AIDS Conference, “Universal Action NOW.” At the opening ceremonies of the conference, Margaret Chan, MD, and director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged the significance of this declaration and pledged the full support of WHO, its regional offices, and its sister agencies, including UNAIDS, United Nation Population Fund, and United Nations Children’s Fund. The international AIDS conference takes place every two years and is the largest global HIV/AIDS forum bringing together 22,000 international policy makers, scientists, health care providers, and activists.   

2008 Report on the Global AIDS epidemic: www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/HIVData/GlobalReport/2008/2008_Global_report.asp