In celebration of International Women’s Day, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Philippines, in collaboration with partners, embarks on a month-long celebration dedicated to empowering women nationwide. The different initiatives include a Condom, Lubes, and Sanitary Pads Distribution Drive, offering essential items and hygiene kits to promote safer sex practices, menstrual hygiene, and reproductive health.
Educational booths will be set up to provide information on women’s health, rights, and well-being, covering topics such as nutrition, mental health, self-care, and empowerment. AHF, along with partners, aims to facilitate engagement through educational games, distributing Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to promote awareness and provide references for accessing related services.
The event extends beyond awareness, offering free Health Screening Services like Pap smears, VIA, breast examinations, and HIV screening. Notably, AHF Philippines advocates for cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for women, emphasizing comprehensive healthcare for women’s empowerment and well-being.
Ms. Nenet L. Ortega, Country Manager of AHF Philippines said “Women’s empowerment knows no bounds. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate women’s strength, resilience, and courage worldwide. Join us in recognizing the vital role women play in healthcare, including HIV prevention, testing, and care. Together, we are breaking barriers, spreading awareness, and ensuring every woman can access lifesaving resources. Let’s continue to uplift, support, and champion women everywhere.”
According to UNAIDS, women and girls make up a disproportionate amount of people living with HIV globally. In 2022, 4,000 girls and young women aged 15 to 24 worldwide acquired HIV every week.
International Women’s Day was founded in 1911 and is observed annually on March 8. The day recognizes the political, cultural, and economic achievements of women to accelerate their rights. AHF created its Girls Act program, which works across nearly 40 AHF country teams, to help young women and girls stay HIV-free (or on treatment if HIV positive), keep them in school, and avoid unplanned pregnancies. Learn more at GirlsAct.org.
