Shillong, July 21: Health Minister Dr. M. Ampareen Lyngdoh launched the Red Ribbon Campus Intervention Programme at St. Mary’s College, Shillong, urging young women to make informed, empowered choices about their bodies, health, and futures.
The Red Ribbon Campus Intervention Programme aims to strengthen youth participation in HIV prevention, reduce stigma, and promote safe practices.
The four-day programme, being held from July 21 to 24, is organised by the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS) and aims to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, safe practices, and gender-based vulnerabilities among youth. The event began with a welcome note from the college principal, Dr. Sister Mary Harriet, followed by a cultural performance by the All Meghalaya Dancers Association and a moving testimony from Jeremiah Nongrum, a member of the Injecting Drug Users (IDU) community.
Addressing the college students—mostly young women—Lyngdoh delivered an unfiltered message on the challenges women face, from sexual exploitation to the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. She spoke about the rising number of HIV cases in Meghalaya, highlighting a heartbreaking statistic: over 400 children have been born HIV-positive in the state, largely due to a lack of awareness and timely testing.
“This is not just about HIV. It’s about protecting yourself, your body, and your future,” the minister said. “We are not starting a movement against men—we are starting a movement to protect ourselves, to talk openly, and to break the silence around sex, consent, and safety.”
The Health Minister challenged societal norms that often pressure girls into silence or self-blame. She questioned the normalization of casual sexual encounters, the glorification of risky behaviour, and the cultural silence surrounding women’s rights to demand protection and information.
She also addressed the uncomfortable realities young women face, including judgment, objectification, and domestic abuse. In a particularly poignant moment, she said:
“A child who exposes a lot of her body for the joy of others is crying for help. Instead of condemning her, we must understand her pain.”
Encouraging students to use the Red Ribbon Club as a safe space for honest conversations, she urged institutions to allow counsellors to engage freely with students.
“Girls, your lives are precious. Fashion, freedom, fun—none of it is worth your safety or your peace of mind,” she said. “You have the right to ask your partner if they are HIV negative. And you have the right to say no. That’s not rebellion—that’s responsibility.”
Lyngdoh also acknowledged the limitations of the system, pointing out that many women are often discouraged from reporting abuse due to social pressure or uncooperative authorities. She called on women to take the first step in demanding accountability—not just from society, but from within their homes and relationships.
She called for a pledge from the students to take charge of their lives: “No police can protect you the way you can protect yourself. If you protect yourself, you protect your community. Let’s pledge to raise a generation where no child is born with HIV.”
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