UNODC is cosponsor of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS - UNAIDS
Project G86 : Project Activities -
Peer Led Initiative
The first social action approach in primary prevention, the community led awareness programme or peer led intervention is successfully mobilizing and spreading awareness among the communities and young people on drugs and HIV prevention, care and support. This sensitization and approach is helping in enhancing the knowledge and acceptance from the community members on drug addiction and other risky behavior as a social problem.
The idea is create an army of volunteers (i.e. 2000 Peer trainers and 40,000 Community Volunteers) dedicated to spreading the message of drugs and HIV in the four states. All the trainings are to be imparted through a core team of Master Trainers who have been trained by the project.
A rally being organised by school children
A Football Match incorporating "I Decide" messages
This process of trickle down, with multiplier effects, was considered a cost-effective option for engaging with young people/peers and creating a stake in the process of reducing the risk and vulnerabilities related to substance use and HIV/AIDS in the North east.
This intervention is currently operational in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya, four of the most vulnerable states of North Eastern India.
A pool of 81 master trainers (MT) from the NSS, NYK and community youth groups have been created through the TOT process in Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland. These trainers are providing consistent support to the Training coordinators and Peer Trainers.
A total of 58 trainings on primary prevention were completed by December 2007, and a total of 1,946 Peer Trainers have been trained.
All the Peer trainers and volunteers have been provided with IEC material comprising of Flip Charts, Brochures, Diaries and badges. This has enhanced a sense of participation in the 'I decide' mass awareness campaign on primary prevention and also ensured uniformity in messages being passed on.
Under the project, a number of advocacy meetings have been conducted with law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, student bodies, community and faith based organizations from the four states of the North East to stress the need for mobilizing community towards primary prevention campaigns.
Children participating in a Poster Making Competition
