Indigenous language, culture part of new condom campaign
- EFN Staff | October 14, 2017
AIDS Saskatoon & Saskatoon Sexual Health launched northern Saskatchewan-branded condoms.
Six condoms have jokes written in Cree, Dene, Michif and English as a way to engage people in safer sex practices in northern Saskatchewan.
The project distributed 100,000 condoms and use humour by placing six jokes on the condom wrappers as a way to engage people in safer sex practices. The jokes are written in Cree, Dene, Michif, and English all geared towards northern Saskatchewan. This project slogans stemmed from 82 surveys conducted with youth in four northern communities in the province.
“Wrap It Up North! Involved a significant level of partnership with Saskatoon Sexual Health, AIDS Saskatoon and Territorial,” said Jason Mercerdi, the Executive Director of AIDS Saskatoon. “We are proud to offer humorous safer sex supplies that are culturally appropriate and inclusive to the Metis, Dene, and Cree Nations of northern Saskatchewan.” Local partners and tribal councils will be distributing these supplies to 47 communities across the north.
According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health 2016 Interim Report, Saskatchewan has the highest rates of HIV in Canada with 2,091 cases reported between 1985 and 2016 with 170 new HIV cases reported in 2016 with 79% who self-reported as Aboriginal. Last year, the highest rate set off alarms for Saskatchewan doctors that led them to prompt the provincial government to declare a state of emergency.