Ethnic Minorities Program

About us

• The Ethnic Minorities Program of STI AIDS Netherlands is geared towards the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV, amongst ethnic minorities living in The Netherlands.
• This is done in collaboration with different communities and self-help groups within ethnic minorities, and with health care providers.
• The Dutch population is estimated at 16 million. Of these, more than 3 million (3.170.406) are ethnic minorities. And of these, 1.738.452 originate from non-western regions such as Africa, Asia, The Middle East and the Caribbean's (CBS 2007).
  
• The Ethnic Minorities program has three members of staff who have expertise in the areas of medical anthropology, gender studies, biology, epidemiology, sociology and medical information on HIV and other STIs.

Target Groups:

The most important target groups are both the documented and undocumented ethnic minorities from:

• Sub-Saharan Africa
• The Middle East and North Africa
• The Caribbeans
• Health workers (from the GGD, GP's (huisartsen in Dutch), HIV treatment specialists, HIV/Aids nurses (HIV consulenten in Dutch), prison workers, social nurses, and other professionals

Complaints procedure
STI AIDS Netherlands has at one's disposal a complaints handling procedure. A complaint can be filed in writing, per e-mail or by word of mouth with the complaints coordinator.

Complaints coordinator
Martin van Oostrom, MSc
Executive Secretary to the Board
mvanoostrom@soaaids.nl
phone. ++310-(0)20-8511758 (direct)
in absence +20-8511707 (office of the executive secretary)

Goals

Our goals

• To promote the prevention of STIs, including HIV, amongst members of the ethnic minorities groups living in the Netherlands.
• To spread and intensify information and education on STIs including HIV.
• To support self-help organisations within ethnic minority groups and to coordinate activities.
• To strengthen the position of ethnic minorities groups and to network.
• To contribute to and participate in the international exchange of ‘best practices' within Europe and internationally.
• To make adequate and accessible information available.