Become A Safe Lover
A new thought-provoking HIV prevention campaign
USAID supported Safe Love campaign ads urge people to take a critical look at their lives and take action to protect themselves and others from HIV infection.
The Safe Love campaign will encourage people to talk more openly about sexual behaviors leading to the continued spread of HIV in Zambia, to ultimately change their behaviors and live safer and healthier lives.
HIV prevalence is still high in Zambia. Currently, 14.3% of Zambians aged 15 to 49 are infected with HIV. This means that approximately 1 in every 7 people has HIV.
The Zambian government, in partnership with USAID/Zambia, is taking the opportunity to reignite the country's discussion about HIV in a new thought-provoking campaign called Safe Love: Think. Talk. Act. The campaign aims to challenge the behaviors that have become accepted as social norms, and contribute to new HIV infections in Zambia every year. These risky behaviors include having multiple sexual partners and low condom use.
Safe Love: Think. Talk. Act. asks people to think critically about the behaviors that can put them at risk of HIV; talk more openly with their friends and family about sexual relationships and condom use; and act to protect themselves and others from HIV infection.
Rather than focus on partner reduction as so many campaigns have in the past, Safe Love is taking the bold approach of "safety first.‟ Meaning, that whatever sexual choices a person makes, they should put safety first and protect themselves from HIV through condom use.
To spark discussion amongst the general public, Safe Love released a series of ads on TV, radio, and in newspapers. The ads showed different types of sexual relationships and behaviors which are causing the spread of HIV in Zambia. All the ads beg the question, “have you thought about HIV?”
For the next two years, Safe Love will continue to ask the daring questions about the sexual behaviors people have kept silent about for so long. The campaign will generate audience dialogue through a variety of multichannel products and activities such as community health fairs, art and theatre, and radio and TV.
