Feature Story

HRH and UNAIDS Special Representative, the
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway during her
arrival to the Xochiquetzal Foundation with the
Director of the organization, Mrs. Hazel Fonseca. 

As part of an official visit to Nicaragua to learn more about the impact AIDS is having on women, UNAIDS Special Representative, HRH the Crown Princess of Norway visited a grassroots AIDS organisation working on issues of human rights and the sexual and reproductive rights of women and children.

The visit to Fundación Xochiquetzal was part of a four-day advocacy mission to the region for the Crown Princess during which she will be engaging with different groups and individuals involved in the AIDS response and participating in events organised at the 5th Central American Congress on AIDS (CONCASIDA). The visit aims to raise awareness about how AIDS is increasingly affecting women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean and to help step up efforts to eliminate the widespread stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV in the region.

During her visit to the foundation, the Crown Princess talked to the group members about her concerns regarding gender inequalities and poverty present in Central America and expressed her support for the foundation’s efforts to raise awareness and educate people about HIV.

HRH and UNAIDS Special Representative, the
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway sharing with
children of the San Jose Oriental Neighborhood
during her field visit to the Xochiquetzal Foundation.

Fundación Xochiquetzal was created as a non-profit organisation in 1990, and focuses on education and research about HIV, social communication, HIV prevention and care and support for people living with HIV. Programmes are aimed at both young women and men, children and adolescents in situations of commercial sexual exploitation, people living with HIV, sex workers, men who have sex with men, staff of state institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector.

HRH the Crown Princess expressed her appreciation the Xochiquetzal Foundation’s work to support people living with HIV and heralded the commitment and professionalism of the members working for the organisation.

She also reiterated the importance of community participation in the AIDS response and called for efforts to help women have a stronger voice and more presence at the leadership level.

More on Fundación Xochiquetzal

During the past 16 years, Fundación Xochiquetzal, has undertaken a wide range of social projects in the cities of Managua, Estelí, Somoto, Ocotal, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Masaya, Granada, Carazo, León y Chinandega.

Xochiquetzal also provides legal advisory support, defending and promoting the human rights of people living with HIV. Its strategy focuses on coordinating and advocating with different sectors in order to promote free sexuality and respect of human rights for people living with HIV, as well as developing studies whose evidence leads to a better perception of risk and behavioural change among target populations in regards to sexually transmitted infections including HIV.