Intro / About SCORA

About SCORA

Standing Committee on Reproductive Health including AIDS (SCORA)

Medical students of the IFMSA formed the Standing Committee on Reproductive Health including AIDS (SCORA) in 1992, driven by a strong will to take an active part in prevention interventions concerning HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and to support people living with HIV/AIDS, aiming to decrease stigma and discrimination. SCORA also focuses on gender issues like domestic violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and glass ceiling as well as provides opportunities to address issues regarding sexual orientation, trans-sexuality and teenage pregnancy.

STRUCTURE

On the international level SCORA is coordinated by SCORA Director (SCORA-D), on the national level SCORA is coordinated by National Officer on Reproductive Health including AIDS (NORA), on the local level we have Local Officers (LORA) and their Assistants (LORA Ass.). Communication with externals in international organizations who share our aims is the responsibility of Liaison Officer for Reproductive Health issues, including AIDS (LO to SCORA) and coordination of SCORA teams working in each of the five regions within IFMSA is Regional Assistant’s task (SCORA RA).

THINK GLOBALY ACT LOCALLY

One of the strengths of IFMSA/SCORA is that we work together locally, worldwide. Through campaigning, workshops and peer education we intend to increase the awareness among medical students, as well as in the general population, of safe sexual behavior and HIV prevention, of gender equality and women's health. Knowing that these are global issues, yet complex and multifaceted, we encourage medical students to voluntarily take active part in local campaigning for better health as a crucial aspect of our work.

SCORA thrives on the enthusiasm, creativity and dedication of medical students.

PROJECTS

Currently there are three transnational projects within Standing Committee on Reproductive Health including AIDS, officially recognizing collaboration between two or more national member organizations of the Federation.

INITIATIVES

There are more then a few initiatives that deal with specific problems in the filed of SRHR, their main objective is to create a sensitized and friendly environment, as well as provide international support for starting up projects on a national and regional level. Currently we have Neoplasms of the Reproductive System including Brest Initiative and Taskforce, HIV/TB co-infection Initiative and Taskforce and the most recent End Fistula Initiative.

ACTIVITIES

Peer Education & Health Promotion

Reproductive Health Education for adolescents – in many countries across the globe, medical students in SCORA educate adolescents on sexual and reproductive health related issues. SCORA arranges national and local workshops to improve and to spread the network of peer educators and to adapt national programs after regional needs.

SCORA Exchanges

SCORA offers medical students international exchange opportunities specifically on HIV/AIDS. The exchange was first established in 1996 and is currently running in Romania, Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, Greece, Egypt and Turkey. The program gives local and international participants a global view of HIV/AIDS, focusing on the complexity of this multifaceted issue.

Workshops and Trainings

  • Internationally, SCORA organizes workshops and trainings for medical students on Reproductive Health and related topics. Workshops and trainings organized in the past:
  • “HIV and Human Rights” (a series of regional trainings in collaboration with UNESCO),
  • STOP AIDS trainings and summer schools (series of international trainings)
  • Maternal and Child Health: Reducing mortality and morbidity, Monterrey, Mexico, 2000
  • Workshop on Refugees and Reproductive Health, Hurghada, Egypt, 1999
  • Workshop on AIDS/HIV and cultural issues, Cape Town, South Africa, 1998
  • Currently active training and workshops:
  • Northern European Conference on Sex Education (collaboration in North-western Europe)
  • International Peer Education Training - Building Skills on Behavior Change Peer Education in the field of Reproductive Health & HIV/AIDS (series of IFMSA preGA international workshops in collaboration with UNFPA HQ)

CAMPAIGNS

World AIDS Day

Every year SCORA does its best to raise awareness among medical students as well as the general public. SCORA focuses on all aspects of HIV/AIDS with the help of a variety of actions, such as lectures, exhibitions, distribution of condoms and pamphlets, charity concerts or parties.

International Woman’s Day

Advocating for gender equality and equity - In 2000, ‘the Statement on the Advancement of the Status of Young Women’ was adopted by the IFMSA General Assembly. This was followed by the “IFMSA Policy Statement on Medical Student and Gender Equality” in 2002. SCORA stresses the fact that gender equality is an important factor in order to improve health. SCORA urges for awareness campaigns in member countries and for including a nondiscriminative gender perspective in all IFMSA activities. Several events are organized on International Women's Day to address the situation of women all over the world.

International Candlelight Memorial

In order to commemorate and remember those who have succumb to the pandemic, as well as to provide support to those who are infected, some SCORA teams started with organizing lighting of candles, formation of human red ribbons, candle walks, writing of support messages and an advocacy campaign for ARV treatment or promotion/opening of VCTs – according to the needs of PLWHIV in the country.

PUBLICATIONS

  1. “Medical Student International” on Adolescents’ Reproductive Health 1998
  2. “Medical Student International” on Child Health 2000
  3. SCORA Information Package for Newcomers – 2001
  4. SCORA Peer Education Database - games and methodologies from different peer education projects in the world are compiled
  5. World AIDS Day activity report - annually released
  6. IFMSA-website: www.ifmsa.org/scora
  7. SCORA Newsletter: monthly published and archived at the ifmsa-scora yahoo group
  • IFMSA PARTNERING ORGANISATIONS
  • UNAIDS
  • UNFPA
  • UNICEF
  • WHO
  • UNESCO
  • GLOBAL HEALTH COUNCIL