More About This Project

Yunnan province is found in the southwest of China and shares its longest border with Myanmar (Burma). On both sides of the border there has been drug production and trade, as well as resource extraction for decades. The remote, mountainous areas, largely populated by ethnic minorities, have long suffered from war and neglect, which have undermined development.

HIV prevalence is rising rapidly in/along the border of Myanmar and China, fueled by population mobility, poverty and frustration that breeds risky sexual activity and drug-taking. Indicators of higher susceptibility of HIVAIDS transmission in Yunnan Province border regions include:

• Yunnan holds China’s largest concentration of ethnic minority groups who, often disenfranchised from mainstream life in China, have less access to education and jobs
• High volume and access to intravenous drugs
• Large and growing population of migrant labourers
• High levels of sex work/brothel activity

A key, long-term objective of the project is to focus on an understanding of the connection between a healthy and a peaceful society; in particular, an understanding of the connection between the conflict in Myanmar and the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region. In addition to providing training to increase capacity for local cooperation for HIV/AIDS prevention education, long term goals of this project include identifying civil society groups and building their capacity to conduct this type of training, as well as building relationships between these groups, key individuals, various levels of government, and other stake-holders.