Honduras
National Communication Strategy for HIV/AIDS Prevention Strengthens Political Support
Activity Dates
2003-2004
Activity Summary
In 2002, an active IEC Interagency Committee on HIV/AIDS–formed by local NGOs and the Secretary of Health (SOH) with the support of USAID–launched a multimedia communication campaign nationwide. The emphasis was on promoting healthy behaviors among adolescents and young adults to avoid HIV infection (abstinence, postponing sex, fidelity, and condom use for high-risk groups). The campaign also aimed to raise awareness of the epidemic’s severity, and its social and economic impact in Honduras among influentials and opinion leaders. A series of meetings with leaders nationwide took place to get their support for the new communication campaign for HIV prevention among youth. The campaign also consisted of three TV and radio spots for youth, one TV and radio spot as well as printed materials for influentials, and a TV and radio spot from the First Lady of Honduras advocating open communication among couples about HIV.
Despite the efforts of the Government of Honduras to fight the epidemic, AIDS is still not fully recognized as a priority by all sectors of Honduran society. Discrimination of people with HIV/AIDS, gender roles that discourage couple communication on sexuality, and lack of public support have played a role in shadowing the dramatic reality of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. In 2002, an IEC Interagency Committee on HIV/AIDS was established consisting of NGOs working on HIV/AIDS prevention nationwide. The IEC Committee, with support of the Secretary of Health (SOH), USAID and technical assistance of the PCS Project, launched a communication campaign in December of 2002 for adolescents and young adults with the slogan “United Against AIDS.”
Implementation Process
The multi-media campaign promoted a variety of safe behaviors to avoid infection (abstinence, postponing sex, fidelity, and condom use). In January 2003, the second component of the campaign was launched with a high-profile ceremony attended by the President, Mr. Ricardo Maduro, his wife, Mrs. Aguas Ocana de Maduro, and six cabinet members who expressed visible support towards HIV/AIDS prevention activities. A full year of advocacy activities with influentials in Honduras’s main cities included 34 socialization meetings with over 1,700 opinion leaders who received HIV/ AIDS information and HIV/ AIDS prevention campaign information and who were asked to sign a petition to join the fight against HIV/AIDS in Honduras. In June 2003, a TV spot taped by the First Lady urging women to talk with their partners about HIV/AIDS prevention was integrated into the HIV/AIDS prevention campaign messages. The Ministry of Health’s HIV/AIDS Division procured funds to keep the campaign on the air until February 2005 in an effort to expand the exposure of the prevention messages in radio and TV.
Evaluation/Findings
Evaluation activities for the youth and influential campaign started in March 2004 and results were available by July 2004. Evaluation results showed that 66% of the intended audience was reached with HIV/AIDS prevention messages promoting ABC for youth 15 to 24 through radio and TV spots, messages focused on delaying sexual debut, consistent condom use, and partner reduction. The report also showed significant changes in HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes, sense of self-efficacy to avoid risky behaviors, and intention to adopt healthy behaviors.
Results from the influentials campaign also showed an increase in the commitment to fight HIV/AIDS in Honduras. Influentials and decision makers supported the mass media youth campaign by leveraging funds to keep the campaign on the air during 2004 and 2005 without opposition or prohibition.
SOH HIV/AIDS Division partnered with HCP and cost shared communication activities for vulnerable groups from January to December 2004 and 2005.
For the first time in Honduras, the SOH HIV/AIDS Division along with the IEC Technical Committee successfully designed, implemented, and evaluated the first strategic HIV/AIDS communication and community mobilization campaign directed to youth and influentials. The SOH HIV/AIDS Division took ownership of the cost-sharing campaign activities with GFATM money. Unlike previous campaigns that were blocked due to lack of support and coordination, this one benefited from complete government and nongovernmental support. Likewise, the creation of the MSM and Garifuna IEC Sub-Committee resulted in the collective design and implementation of campaign activities to prevent HIV/AIDS among these vulnerable populations (see below, activity 2).
Materials and Tools
- 5 TV spots, 30 seconds each
- 4 Radio Spots, 30 seconds each
Research Reports/Publications
- IEC strategy for HIV AIDS Prevention Youth and Influentials
- Results of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Campaign Evaluation, Honduras 2004
Audiences
- Urban adolescents and youth 12 to 24 years old
- Newly elected influentials and decision makers in Honduras (2002- 2005)
Partners
- IEC Technical for HIV/AIDS Prevention
- Secretariat of Health STI, HIV/AIDS Department
Back to Honduras
Note about materials: Some of the materials and resources listed on each page are available in their full form, others are represented by image or citation only. For more information and resources, go to www.jhuccp.org
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