Campaigns

Tatiana Lazareva, TV Presenter and one
of the 25 women from Russia and Ukraine
who are participating in the “Stars against
AIDS” campaign.
Photo credit: Serge Golovach

“If in my country I have fans that listen to me, I am ready to endlessly tell them about HIV prevention and how it is wrong to discriminate against people living with HIV,” said Tatiana Lazareva, TV Presenter and one of the 25 women from Russia and Ukraine who are participating in the “Stars against AIDS” campaign organized by UNAIDS.

This is an unprecedented project to tackle stigma and discrimination in the Eastern Europe region. UNAIDS has brought together a group of successful women from Russia and Ukraine to help dispel the taboos and prejudice that often surround AIDS and to reduce discrimination against people living with HIV. Female celebrities from the artistic, media and sports communities have joined their talents and voices to ensure a proactive response to the AIDS epidemic.

Twenty-five famous women agreed to be photographed by the well-known photographer Serge Golovach who offered his services to the campaign for free. Through an exhibition of these portraits, the project aims to raise awareness about AIDS, increase the dissemination of HIV information and to reduce stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV.

“At first I was reluctant to participate in this project as I hardly knew anything about the scale of the HIV epidemic in my country and had never came across HIV in my daily life,” said actress Dina Korzun.  “I thought that closing my eyes to it would be the simplest thing to do. However, I found it was far more important to make an effort and search for information. I then realized that the major challenge of this disease is ignorance, and hence, intolerance,” she added.

Dina Korzun, Actress, Co-founder, Give
Life Charity Fund
Photo credit: Serge Golovach

The exhibition opened on May 15 and can be seen at the Stella Art Foundation in Moscow. The opening was attended by Elena Khanga and Maria Arbatova - two of the celebrities that have participated in the project - along with representatives from the Russian Ministry of Health and Social Development, the UNAIDS Programme Coordinator in Russia and the heads of UN agencies in the country. The exhibition is expected to tour Russia and Ukraine throughout 2008. A selection of the portraits will also be published as a 2009 calendar which will be launch at this year’s World AIDS Day.

Eastern Europe and Central Asia have faced significant increases in the numbers of new HIV infections in recent years. An estimated 150 000 people were newly infected with HIV in 2007 bringing the number of people living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to 1.6 million compared to 630 000 in 2001, an increase of 150%. Nearly 90% of newly reported HIV diagnoses in 2006 were from two countries: the Russian Federation (66%) and Ukraine (21%). Furthermore, up to 40% of all new infections throughout the region were women.

“This project is important because it encourages greater public discussion around AIDS.  We have seen in many other countries that when there is more public awareness of AIDS, HIV prevention programs work more effectively and there is greater support for people living with HIV. The 25 women who are part of this project are helping make this kind of public discussion possible.  We are very grateful for their engagement and support,” said Lisa Carty, UNAIDS Programme Coordinator of the Russian Federation.

This year, World AIDS Day—that takes place
on December 1— will focus on leadership, the
theme set by the World AIDS Campaign under the
five-year slogan “Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise”.

With less than a month to go before this year's World AIDS Day, events to commemorate the day are being organized all over the world. This year, World AIDS Day—that takes place on December 1— will focus on leadership, the theme set by the World AIDS Campaign under the five-year slogan “Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise”.

World AIDS Day is a day when people from around the world come together within a single effort to raise awareness about HIV and to express global solidarity with people living with HIV. But World AIDS day is not just about raising awareness. It also provides a global opportunity to urge governments and leaders for all promises on AIDS to be kept as well as an opportunity to demonstrate commitment and action on AIDS.

In designating leadership as the World AIDS Day theme for the next two years (2007 – 2008), the World AIDS Campaign highlights both the political leadership needed to fulfill commitments that have been made in the response to AIDS – particularly the promise of universal access to treatment, prevention, care and support – and celebrating the leadership that has been witnessed at all levels of society.

In preparation for this year’s World AIDS Day, the World AIDS Campaign has produced a wide range of new materials to be used by people and organizations that want to set up their own events on World AIDS Day. These materials are available on the World AIDS Campaign Web site. World AIDS Campaign materials are intended to provide organizations who have limited resources with access to meaningful campaigning materials as well as enhancing solidarity within the global response to AIDS by working through a united effort.

The materials available consist of posters, leaflets and CD-ROMs in a number of languages, including French, Spanish, Russian, Swahili and English. Other language versions, particularly African languages, are also offered via electronic distribution. The printed posters and CD-ROMs can also be ordered from the World AIDS Campaign web site.

The web site also has a calendar of events where more and more organizations are now listing information on their planned activities for World AIDS Day so people can browse the different events planned in their country or region.

For the 2007 celebrations, the World AIDS Campaign has also produced, in collaboration with UNAIDS, a public service announcement on this year’s leadership theme that is being distributed to promote the day and/or can be shown during events.

UNAIDS founded the World AIDS Campaign originally as a loose partnership of UN agencies, governments and all sectors of civil society to campaign around specific themes related to AIDS. The World AIDS campaign is now an independent NGO based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and is governed by a Global Steering Committee of global constituency-based AIDS networks comprised of the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, the Youth Coalition, the Global Unions Programme on HIV/AIDS, the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations, the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, and the International Women’s AIDS Caucus. UNAIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria are non-voting members.

UNAIDS Secretariat staff in Geneva joined the
STAND UP and SPEAK OUT events taking place
across the globe.

UNAIDS Secretariat staff in Geneva joined the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT events taking place across the globe, calling for leaders to take action against poverty and inequality and to achieve and exceed the Millennium Development Goals.

Expressing themselves through written messages on a billboard, UNAIDS staff underlined the critical need to scale up the response to AIDS in the drive to reach the Millennium Development Goals. As part of the messages, UNAIDS Executive Director, Dr Peter Piot called for everyone to “Act everyday against poverty” while his Deputy, Deborah Landey urged the world to “Fight AIDS, end poverty”.

Last year, more than 23 million people took part in similar STAND UP and SPEAK OUT events and set a new Guinness World Record. This year, the organizers expect to break this record so the message rings even louder.

As part of the messages, UNAIDS Executive Director, Dr Peter Piot
called for everyone to "Act everyday against poverty".

In 2000, leaders of 189 countries signed up to the Millennium Development Goals, a global plan to halve extreme poverty by 2015. Yet, every day, 50,000 people die as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider. The STAND UP and SPEAK OUT initiative aims at making governments honor their commitments on more and better aid, debt cancellation, trade justice, gender equality and public accountability by showing them that more and more people are taking a stand.

Co-founders of the initiative—The Global Call to Action against Poverty and the United Nations Millennium Campaign—are working with a large number of national and local partners from schools and universities to local community groups and women’s groups, choirs and sporting clubs to faith groups, trade unions to corporations and many more. Entertaining and engaging events are being organized in around the world.

ICC chief Malcolm Speed (standing in centre),
cricketer Virender Sehwag (crouching) and
UNICEF Representative Cecilio Adorna (left)
with childrenand staff at the Kalawati Saran
Children’s Hospital in New Delhi.
Photo credits: UNICEF India/2007/Biswas

Head of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Malcolm Speed joined Indian star Virender Sehwag and Cecilio Adorna, UNICEF India country representative, in a visit to the Antiretroviral treatment centre of the Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital in New Delhi at the end of August. The visit was part of the ICC's partnership with UNAIDS and UNICEF to raise awareness and reduce stigma around AIDS and the impact of AIDS on children through the global campaign, UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS .

As well as playing an impromptu game of cricket with a group of young children, the delegation also had the opportunity to meet with children and mothers living with HIV.

“Cricket is not all about the game,” said Malcolm Speed. “Having a social awareness programme associated with it is not only an excellent way to reach out to the cricket fans but also an uplifting experience for the cricketers as well, and puts everything into perspective,” he added.

Virenda Sehwag added: “It is important for every one of us to spend time children living with HIV. It is a pleasure to be associated with the cause. When celebrities endorse a noble cause like this, it has more impact.”

In India, an estimated 70,000 children below the age of 15 are living with HIV. Worldwide, every day there are estimated to be nearly 1,800 new HIV infections in children under 15.

AIDS and young people will be a key theme of the upcoming ICC Twenty 20 World Championships being hosted by South Africa from 11 to 24 September as part of the unique partnership between the ICC, UNICEF, UNAIDS, the African Broadcast Media Partnership and the Kaiser Family Foundation, using the cricket tournament to draw attention to the impact of AIDS on the world’s children.

Links:

Watch video footage of Malcolm Speed’s visit to the Indian Children’s hospital | High | Low
Read more on the ICC Twenty20 World Championships
Read more on Unite for Children: Unite against AIDS

Women against AIDS tour was conceived in the midst of a growing concern that women are increasingly at risk of HIV infection in many parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The percentage of adults living with HIV who are women has risen from 11% in 1990 to 28% in 2006.

The tour was sponsored by the AIDS Infoshare organization, UNAIDS, the Global Coalition of Women on AIDS and the United Nations Development Program. Ten AIDS advocates from the region with special guests joining at various points travelled together to learn about the realities of women and AIDS in different parts of the region and also to mobilize local policy makers to act on these issues.

Moscow, 27 May - The team is at Sheremetievo Airport. Could not wait to look at the posters and unpacked them right before flying to Almaty (Kazakhstan).

Kazakhstan, 27-28 May - Elnara Kurmangalieva (State Centre for Healthy Life Style) informing about HIV prevention programmes among youth.

Kazakhstan, 27-28 May - Group photograph.

Armenia, 29-30 May - Oganes Madoyan (Real World - real People) opens the discussions. None of the HIV positive women from Armenia was ready to talk openly and express the needs of the community.

Moldova, 30 May-1 June - Aleksander Shishkin (actor and DJ) first on the right side, joined the round table discussions to support implementation of gender specific programmes in Moldova. He also reiterated the need to carry out information campaigns on HIV prevention for young people.

Moldova, 30 May-1 June - Igor Kilchevski (Credinta) offers to discuss the recommendations of the project participants. High stigma and discrimination is perceived by women living with HIV in Moldova.

Ukraine, 2-5 June - Welcoming remarks by Anna Grekova (All-Ukrainian Network of PLHIV) at a press event.

Ukraine, 2-5 June - A cameraman filming for the national TV channel. The media can play a critical role in reducing stigma and discrimination towards women living with HIV.

Moscow, 6 June - UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Debbie Landey plays a key role in addressing gender dimension to the response to HIV. She actively participated in the Tour.

Moscow, 6 June - Round table participants: (from left) Natalia Ladnaya (Federal AIDS Centre), Sergei Golovach (Photographer), Anna Dubrovskaya ('Golos Anti-SPID' NGO, Ufa, Russia), Elena Tamazova (UNAIDS, Russia), Anna Grekova (All-Ukrainian Network of PLHIV), Debbie Landey (DExD, UNAIDS), Vladimir Pozner (President of the Russian TV Academy), Lyudmila Untura ('Childhood for All' NGO, Moldova), Maria Ivannikova (AIDS Infoshare, Russia), Tatiana Stupak ('Victoria' NGO, Kazakhstan), Larisa Dementieva (Federal Service for Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Wellbeing)

All photo credit: UNAIDS/Serge Golovach

Bangladesh ’s leading telecommunications service provider, Grameenphone Ltd has joined forces with UNAIDS to drive forward advocacy and awareness raising on AIDS issues, as part of the work of the Asia Pacific Leadership Forum on AIDS (APLF) in Bangladesh.

At a ceremony held in Dhaka on 24 May 2007, Managing Director of Gameenphone Erik Aas and UNAIDS Director for Regional Support Team Prasada Rao signed a statement of cooperation that will see the telecommunications giant support UNAIDS in their APLF work to engage high-level leaders from different sectors of the country, including governance, business, media and women in helping create an enabling environment in support of action on AIDS. A major focus of the agreement between UANIDS and Grameenphone is to work together to ensure media coverage for the leaders. Grameenphone will provide necessary support to execute the mutually agreed upon media campaigns.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Erik Aas said that with Grameenphone’s network of more than 10 million subscribers across the country, the company is in an ideal situation to conduct wide reaching HIV awareness campaigns. "Utilising our infrastructure and employees, I expect that we will succeed," he said.

In Bangladesh, six leaders are already ambassadors of the APLF initiative. Major General (retd) ASM Matiur Rahman, Adviser of Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Water Resources and Religious Affairs, Runa Laila and Alamgir, cultural personalities, Shykh Seraj, media personality and agriculture development expert, Bibi Russell, fashion icon and activist and Kafil HS Muyeed, Director, New Business Division, Grameenphone Ltd. All attended the event that saw UNAIDS and Grameenphone come together on the issue of AIDS.

“We hope this will encourage thousands of businesses in the country to come forward to address the major threats relating to health, education and poverty alleviation as part of their corporate social responsibility,” said Major General (retd) ASM Matiur Rahman. “AIDS is a global problem, and a reality in Bangladesh. There is no alternative to taking preventive measures – particularly focusing on young people who are at high risk,” he added and stressed the need for a combined effort of all religious minded people from mosques, temples and pagodas.

“Leaders are distinguished by their action, innovation and vision; their personal example and engagement of others; and their perseverance in the face of obstacles and challenges,” said UNAIDS’ Prasada Rao. “Leadership must be demonstrated at every level to get ahead of the epidemic- in families, in communities, in countries and internationally. We welcome working together with Grameenphone Ltd to push forward the AIDS response in Bangladesh.”

The APLF was established in 2002 in response to the commitment for strong leadership on AIDS agreed at the first United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS (UNGASS) in New York in July 2001. Managed by UNAIDS, APLF supports and strengthens political and civil society leadership at country, sub-regional and regional levels to take action to reduce the spread and impact of the AIDS epidemic in the Asia Pacific region.

The first case of HIV in Bangladesh was detected in 1989. According to a 2004 UN study, HIV infections have tripled in the last six years. UNAIDS estimated that 13,000 adults and children were living with HIV at the end of 2002 in Bangladesh.

UNAIDS Executive Director, Dr
Peter Piot signing the 'Call to Stop
TB'

Executive Director of UNAIDS, Dr Peter Piot has joined the list of high-ranking officials and celebrities who have signed the ‘Call to Stop TB’. In signing the Call Dr Piot has emphasised UNAIDS’ commitment to tackling tuberculosis as one of the most important causes of illness and death amongst people living with HIV.

The ‘Call to Stop TB’ is an appeal to world leaders, governments, non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and individuals to endorse, fully fund and implement the Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015, which aims to save 14 million lives and achieve the Millennium Development Goal targets for TB by 2015. Dr Piot signed the ‘Call’ after a round table discussion at the opening session of the Stop TB Partnership Coordinating Board meeting.

During the round table Dr Piot reiterated the threat that TB and especially drug-resistant TB pose to people living with HIV, but stated that the threat was also a key opportunity to develop closer collaboration between TB and HIV programmes and to deliver better and more comprehensive care to individuals and communities affected by both diseases.

Together with Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization, Jorge Sampaio, United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Stop TB and former president of Portugal, and Helen Evans and Michel Kazatchkine of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, they discussed with the Stop TB Coordinating Board members how to mobilize greater political commitment to tackling TB.

Brochures, posters, calendars, and other informational materials
that are being distributed throughout the country as part of the
media campaign to end stigma and discrimination.

“I cannot get infected, because I don’t live in Africa,” says Mihai, a 35-year-old man living in the capital of the Republic of Moldova, Chisinau . “Also, I don’t do drugs, I don’t practice sex for money, and I’m not gay. So, I cannot get infected”, he adds.

Alexandru, 23 years old, remembers: “One of my schoolmates is HIV-positive. After the class reunion, we continued our discussion at my place. When everybody left, I tried to remember which objects he had touched; I didn’t know what to do with the dishes he had used.”

These testimonials are part of a recently launched national campaign to promote solidarity with people living with HIV in Moldova. Extracted from real life examples, they reveal deeply rooted misconceptions about AIDS in Moldova.

“In 2005, we discovered with great concern the results of a survey on the attitude toward people living with HIV” said Mrs. Gabriela Ionascu, the UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Moldova. “We had to address stigma associated with HIV in Moldova urgently”.

The survey conducted by the AIDS Foundation East-West revealed that 74% of the respondents believed that people living with HIV should not be allowed to attend medical and social facilities used by the rest of the society. 64% of people surveyed said they experienced a certain degree of fear toward HIV-positive people, 45% expressed disgust, 37% felt anger, while 41% were totally indifferent.

Cooperating with UNAIDS, the Moldovan National Coordination Council, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, as well as the Moldovan Orthodox Church—the AIDS Foundation East-West developed a concept for a large scale national campaign. The group raised sufficient funds to produce four video clips for national television, short radio messages and outdoor advertisement billboards. With financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the campaign aims to overcome groundless fears and negative attitudes toward people directly affected by HIV and debunking some of the myths around AIDS by conveying accurate information about HIV transmission.

Under the slogan “Because they are no different from you. Just be supportive!” the campaign will run, over four months, in five regions: Chisinau, Baltsi, Edinets, Comrat, and Tiraspol. A number of social events are also planned to encourage interactions and debates.

The campaign gives voice to people living with HIV who tell their stories of injustice and rejection by other members of their communities. It also allows HIV-negative people to speak about their fears regarding HIV as well as how they managed to overcome them. Every effort is made to facilitate identification with the characters in the campaign and to go against the idea that AIDS is a far distant problem.

“This campaign is unique”, says Elena Voskresenskaya, Regional Director of the AIDS Foundation East-West, “because for the first time such an activity involves people living with HIV. This is their first attempt to tell the society about their feelings, fears, problems, and dreams, thus striving to elicit a more tolerant attitude toward HIV and AIDS”.

According to the latest official figures, approximately 3 400 people are living with HIV in 2007 in the Republic of Moldova.

AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW)  is a Dutch nongovernmental humanitarian organization working in the field of public health to reduce the impact of HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. AFEW works in all areas of prevention and treatment, and has gained valuable experience in conducting informational campaigns. AFEW is guided by international best practices which take into account and use the specific mentalities and traditions of the people in every country.

Links:

View the videos
UNAIDS Moldova website
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) website

South African cricket team fielding coach
Jonty Rhodes (left) and wicketkeeper AB de
Villiers (centre) watch a young cricketer hit.
The cricket team visited the Dorothy Bailey
Health Centre in Georgetown, Guyana.
Phot credit:UNICEF/Wilson

“Every wicket counts in cricket, and it’s the same with the fight against AIDS - everybody’s contribution makes a difference.” These were the words of the UNAIDS Country Coordinator for Guyana and Suriname, Dr. Ruben del Prado, speaking during a visit by members of the South African cricket team to the Dorothy Bailey Youth Health Centre in Georgetown, Guyana.

After their close victory over Sri Lanka in the Super 8 stage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, the South African team decided to take some time off and show their support for the health centre and its initiatives for young people living with HIV, the first of its kind in  Guyana.


 Using teamwork to defeat AIDS

Led by Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, UNICEF Guyana Representative Johannes Wedenig and Dr. del Prado, the cricket team was escorted into a crowded hall full of schoolchildren and other guests. Under banners calling people to “Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS”, two local schoolchildren, Murisa and Darren, welcomed everyone and spoke of the need to fight against the spread of the HIV.

Dr. Ramsammy told the assembly that HIV and AIDS was a global problem. “We are all in this together and AIDS can only be beaten if we work as a team,” he remarked.

Mr. Wedenig said it was heartening to see the peoples of South Africa and Guyana joining hands in a common cause. “Knowledge is power,” said Mr. Wedenig. “By empowering children with knowledge to protect themselves, we can win.”

Speaking on behalf of the South African cricketers, the team’s fielding coach, Jonty Rhodes, said that as well-known sportsmen they had the opportunity to highlight global challenges facing society. “ South Africa has a high prevalence of HIV,” he said, and the national cricket team is “committed to doing all we can to raise awareness about HIV, and fight the stigma and discrimination that surround it”.

Through an informal question and answer session with the participating young people and media, the world-famous right-handed batsman reiterated the importance of knowledge, teamwork and endurance in order to successfully fight HIV; similar to the skills needed for winning a cricket match.

Realizing dreams

Saud, a Guyanese student, ties a Band of
Commitment on the wrist of Jonty Rhodes,
the South African cricket team’s fielding
coach at the Dorothy Bailey Health Centre
in Georgetown, Guyana.
Phot credit:UNICEF/Wilson

In a solemn moment, Mr. Rhodes and a Guyanese student, Saud, tied Bands of Commitment on each other’s wrists, as all present pledged to protect themselves and each other against HIV.

South African star bowler, Shaun Pollock, spoke of his three-year-old daughter, “She has dreams just like other kids,” he said. “I need to make sure that she can realize her dreams.”

After the formal ceremony, the visitors toured Dorothy Bailey Health Centre before everyone went outside to play cricket. On a bumpy grass-and-sand wicket next to the centre, Mr. Pollock lobbed soft balls to Minister of Health Dr. Ramsammy, who played a secure, straight bat before being caught in the slips.

The event was one of many taking place across the region on the occasion of the World Cup organized by the partnership between the International Cricket Council (ICC), UNICEF, UNAIIDS and the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS, to highlight the situation of children and young people living with and affected by HIV.

This story first appeared on the special ICC Cricket World Cup section of the Unite for Children Unite against AIDS web site – uniteforchildren.org

Prizes have been given out for the “Be smart protect yourself” competition with winners receiving sweatshirts signed by UNAIDS Special Representative Michael Ballack.

The competition was announced in connection with the launch of the UNAIDS Public Service Announcement (PSA) “Be smart protect yourself” featuring Michael Ballack. The footballer talks about HIV prevention and urges young people to make smart choices.

Dressed in a one of the coveted red UNAIDS sweatshirt, Ballack spent a rainy afternoon at the famous London stadium, Stanford Bridge, taping the HIV prevention video. The PSA script was prepared by UNAIDS and produced by partner Aljazeera TV. The announcement is available in both English and German and has been broadcast around the world.

Ballack’s popularity helped reach a large audience – participants from 44 countries entered the competition giving the correct data to a key question – how many people were newly infected with HIV in 2006. The correct answer is an estimate of 4.3 million people. Young people are at particular risk, accounting for 40% of new infections in 2006 among people 15 years and older.

Michael Ballack, captain of the German Football team and worldwide a role model to young people, signed up with UNAIDS in May 2006 as Special Representative and has dedicated time and effort to raise awareness on HIV issues through the mass media and the world of sport. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup Michael Ballack was featured in social marketing advertisements in the German magazine Der Spiegel and in the 60 th anniversary issue of TIME magazine. Ballack has also used new media to draw attention to the issue by posting AIDS awareness messages on his own web site  http://www.michael-ballack.com/.

Football is one of the most popular sports worldwide and sports stars such as Michael Ballack can be important role models for many young people. Sport is also a force for change as it can build self-esteem and important life skills.