Yugoslav Youth Association Against AIDS – Youth of JAZAS () is non-profit, humanitarian organization committed to HIV prevention and support to the people living with HIV. Ever since its establishment in 1994, it has continuously been implementing projects of peer education, social and psychological support, protection of human rights, promoting voluntary activism, distribution of condoms etc.
In addition, the Youth of JAZAS is also dedicated to vulnerable groups: people of different sexual orientations, sex workers, drug users, young Romani population, MARA (most at risk adolescents). Also, the work of this organization includes education of health care providers, the police, public prosecutors, judges and Members of Parliament, ensuring that people living with HIV and vulnerable groups are involved in policy making processes at national and local level, and have their mandatory contribution to policies that guarantee their human rights and antidiscriminatory attitudes in Serbian Society.
Eleven non-governmental organizations in Serbia share the same name, the same visual identity, goal and values of the Youth of JAZAS, working together according to Memorandum of cooperation in the following cities: Belgrade, Novi Sad, Požarevac, Pančevo, Valjevo, Kragujevac, Niš, Užice, Kosovska Mitrovica, Zaječar and Žitište.
Activities
Peer education program
The Youth of JAZAS has 16-year-long experience in programs of peer education, training them to become educators, starting with educating the young people of the similar age, continuing with becoming trainers about HIV/AIDS themselves. Within this program 230 000 people in Serbia were trained. Since its establishment, the Youth of JAZAS has chosen this kind of education and enabled young people to acquire the knowledge from their peers on the matters they are mostly concerned about: sensitive subjects of the HIV/AIDS, STDs and substance dependence. Two very important manuals for young generations in Serbia have been created in the year 2000: the Manual for HIV/AIDS and the Manual of infectious diseases for peer educators which contain all the relevant information for their work. In 2003, the project My right to know has been initiated by the Youth of JAZAS in cooperation with UNICEF and five nongovernmental organizations: CEDEUM (Centre for education in drama and art), CRPHO (Centre for promotion of humane relations), SPY (Safe plus of youth), Friends of the children of Serbia i Roma educational centre.
SOS and informational services
This segment includes peer educators, as well as psychological and social support for people living with HIV. Operators in this area have been trained for their work through tuition with educators specially prepared for this, with social workers and psychologists.
Social marketing program
Activities of this organization include: production and distribution of advertising materials in Serbian and the languages of minorities living in Serbia, free distribution of more than 300 000 condoms per year, raising awareness of the society through media campaigns and outdoor activities which, amongst other things, include the preparation of the campaigns every November and December for the World AIDS Day that include street performances, concerts, fashion shows, film projections, theatre performances, art exhibitions and other activities.