For background information please read our vision paper
Vision
In our vision the HIV/AIDS epidemic has to be halted.
Educaids believes that the spread of HIV can only be stopped when strong and qualitatively sound education systems and school environments are in place that are able to contribute to the prevention of HIV/AIDS and that are capable of coping with the negative impact of the epidemic.
Mission
In short, our mission is to mobilize the education sector[1] in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Educaids strives for improving and enabling schools systems that fight HIV/AIDS through scaling-up, linking & learning and lobby & advocacy.
Background
There is no lack of international agreements on the need to fight HIV/AIDS and the importance of education in this regard. MDG’s 2 and 6, the Education for All objectives and the Convention of the Rights of the Child and UNGASS[2] all mention the need for action. Despite these noble words the epidemic still gathers pace. The education sector itself is seriously affected by HIV/AIDS. Teachers are falling away. Millions of orphans and vulnerable children are still not going to school, many of them being affected or infected by HIV/AIDS. At the same time, education systems can play an essential role in reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS. Through education vast amounts of children and youth can be informed and can receive care and support.
Educaids believes in a school that functions beyond its primary education function. It should become a learning centre for the community, a locus of social cohesion and empowerment of women and men, girls and boys, promoting a safe environment and healthy behavior: a safe and caring school and supportive communities. Educaids wants to strengthen and actively involve teachers, school management, community and religious leaders, parents, pupils themselves and other actors to find solutions in coping with HIV/AIDS in education. At the same time it shares successful examples with local, regional and national governments. Educaids sees the shared Christian background of many of its members as starting point for discussion but is open for co-operation with organizations, communities and community members with other religious backgrounds.
To reach the abovementioned vision Educaids contributes to the development of coherent education-sector HIV/AIDS strategies on prevention, care & support and impact mitigation, by supporting the start up of local civic-driven initiatives, by linking these initiatives to enable learning and replication of successful methodologies, by mobilizing other relevant sectors and by holding governments responsible for their tasks as duty-bearers.
[1] Referring to both formal and non-formal education and all actors involved (ranging from schools and teachers to governments)
[2] E.g. The UNGASS 26th special session follow-up Declaration, paragraph 50, refers to the importance of education:” Ensuring access to education is paramount, underscoring the potential of universal education programmes, the elimination of school fees, and the provision of in-school meals to alleviate the long-term impact of the epidemic on young people”.