The HIV/AIDS Office commemorated World Aids Day by inviting students and staff to participate in a protest aimed at creating HIV & AIDS awareness, inspiring UFS members to be advocates for change and to no longer tolerate the behavioural drivers of the HIV epidemic.
On the 19th of October 2011 from 13:00 to 14:00 more than 350 UFS citizens participated in the protest to rally on Zero Tolerance for:
- apathy to the HIV/AIDS response,
- HIV related stigma and discrimination,
- new HIV infections,
- resistance to condom distribution,
- Silence on HIV & AIDS, and
- gender inequalities.
The protest commenced from the main gate and ended at the student centre where Transformers addressed the crowd.
The protest received good media coverage by featuring on OFM news and in various local newspapers. This event had a record attendance for an HIV initiative on campus and this can be attributed to the good relationships and collaborations with the KOVSIE Rag Community Service office and Social Work Department as many of their members were protestors.