Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week - CAAN: Empowering Indigenous Communities | HIV/AIDS Support, Education, and Advocacy in Canada

Indigenous AIDS Awareness Day/Week

CAAN continues to support World AIDS Day on December 1st of each year and launches a week-long national public awareness campaign across the land called Indigenous AIDS Awareness Day/Week (IAAD/W).

This national campaign is guided by a steering committee that consists of national Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners and reflects the collaborative efforts in recognizing HIV/AIDS in Indigenous populations. The event consists of themed activities and events that are hosted in community and focus on specific target groups such as women, youth, people who are incarcerated, Two-Spirit people, Inuit, Metis and Indigenous Leadership.

CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks Indigenous AIDS Awareness Day/Week Activity Guide 2024

Indigenous AIDS Awareness Day/ Week is held every year from December 1 to December 7 beginning on World AIDS Day – December 1.

Today, Indigenous people are still dying of AIDS in Canada. Some people choose Indigenous AIDS Awareness Day/Week to memorialize or to commemorate those who struggled living with HIV.

“This week is an opportunity to: Increase awareness and knowledge about HIV and AIDS support, testing, treatment and adherence to antiretroviral medication and include information on how HIV is transmitted and how it is not. Establish ongoing prevention and education programs in Indigenous communities. To bring together community and stakeholders with Indigenous people living with or affected by HIV & AIDS. Address common attitudes and misinformation that may interfere with prevention, care and treatment activities. Reduce HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination. This activity guide is intended as a resource to help you, and your community, think about what HIV and AIDS awareness activities you might plan for Indigenous AIDS Awareness Day/ Week as well as throughout the year.”

DOWNLOAD ACTIVITY GUIDE HERE

IAAW 2024 Featured Activities

All Nations Hope Network IAAW 2024

Learn more about All Nations Hope Network here: https://allnationshope.ca/

Why We Started IAAD/W

Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week is an opportunity to:

Increase awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS.
Establish ongoing prevention and education programs in Indigenous communities.
Address common attitudes that may interfere with prevention, care and treatment activities.
Reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination.

Indigenous AIDS Awareness Day/Week Activities – Just a Beginning

Every year, between December 1 and December 7, you have an opportunity to begin a dialogue about HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) among people in your community – especially among the young men and women who may be at greatest risk of infection.

It is an ideal time to begin to raise knowledge about HIV – what the virus is, how it is spread, the importance of knowing how to prevent infection and regular testing, and how the virus is best treated. Or perhaps it is an ideal time for your community to remember your friends, family and community members who may have lost their brave struggle against HIV and died as a result of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) or AIDS-related illnesses.

Or perhaps it is an ideal time to sit with community Elders and leaders to begin the necessary dialogue about what is needed to educate your community’s young people on how best to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, or how to best support and care for Indigenous People Living with HIV/AIDS (IPHA) from your community.

But remember, the activities which you may have started during Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week need to continue throughout the year whenever there is an opportunity to raise awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS.