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IOM launches Christmas HIV Awareness for Mozambican mine workers back from South Africa
GENEVA – IOM organizes, this week, an HIV awareness and testing campaign for mine workers returning from the South African gold and platinum mines for the holidays. The campaign, which also marks International Migrants’ Day on December 18th, will be done in Ressano Garcia border town, a thriving border post which is the main artery linking Mozambique and South Africa.
Mozambique currently has around 35,000 registered mine workers in South Africa; many of them return to their communities of origin over the Christmas period to celebrate with their families. The border office extends its opening hours to 24 hours a day in order to manage the sharp increase in Mozambicans returning from South Africa.
At least 1.5 million Mozambicans are estimated to be living in South Africa, the regional economic hub. The dynamics of migration increase the HIV vulnerability of migrants mine workers and their families. Regions from where the mine workers originated have the most heavily affected HIV communities in the country, with up to one in three adults living with the virus.
During the week of activities, The Employment Bureau of Africa (TEBA) volunteers, who have been trained in IOM’s health promotion model, will conduct outreach activities targeting mine workers at TEBA’s office in Ressano Garcia border town to stimulate demand for HIV-related services. Activities include: one-on-one dialogue, radio listening groups, theatre, singing, dancing, and video shows. Volunteers will also refer mine workers to on-site counselling and testing services provided by the Estradas (roads) project called FHI360’s, and collect information about miners’ destinations to provide follow-up services in their community.
The collaboration between IOM, TEBA and FHI360 is funded by USAID/PEPFAR, under the project Community-Based Responses to HIV and AIDS in Mine-Sending Communities in Mozambique (Txivirika). In this role, IOM provides capacity-building and day-to-day technical support to TEBA Development to implement its USAID/PEPFAR Txivirika project.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have disclosed details of their recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu, explaining that the engagement focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The clarification came amid speculation surrounding the meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after leaders of several opposition parties attended an Iftar dinner hosted by the president earlier in the week.
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Speaking during a gathering hosted in Abuja by the SDP’s former presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo on Friday, the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, said the meeting with Tinubu followed an official invitation from the Presidency and lasted about an hour.
According to Gombe, the discussion centred on the need to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral laws and restore public confidence in the country’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.
He explained that the meeting provided an opportunity for party leaders to remind the president of the importance of conducting transparent, free, and credible elections.
Gombe noted that democracy can only thrive when governments listen to the concerns of citizens and ensure electoral processes that guarantee fairness and accountability.
The SDP chairman also expressed concern over growing voter apathy, pointing to the low turnout recorded in the recent Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the Abuja Municipal Area Council election witnessed only about seven per cent voter turnout, which he described as a clear sign that many Nigerians are losing confidence in the electoral system.
Gombe urged the government and members of the National Assembly to take urgent steps to review electoral laws and rebuild public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, said political parties used the meeting to raise concerns about aspects of proposed electoral reforms, particularly issues related to indirect primaries and the mandatory electronic transmission of results.
Dantalle explained that the parties appealed to the president to use his influence to encourage legislative review where necessary, noting that reforms should strengthen, rather than complicate, the democratic process.
He expressed optimism that Tinubu would consider the concerns raised and support necessary amendments that would improve the electoral system.
The IPAC chairman also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strictly adhere to electoral guidelines as preparations for the next election cycle begin.
Earlier in his remarks, Adebayo cautioned political actors against turning the 2027 general elections into a do-or-die contest, stressing that the primary goal of democracy should be the progress and stability of Nigeria rather than personal political victories.
He urged leaders across political parties to encourage citizens to actively participate in the democratic process and ensure that elections are conducted peacefully and transparently.
President Bola Tinubu and Mr. Taiwo Oyedele during his nomination on Wednesday.
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