Helen Clark meets with beneficiaries of an HIV project in Timbuktu. 04 May 2010. Credit: UNDP

The Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Helen Clark recently ended a four-country tour of Africa to highlight progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the run-up to the MDGs Summit in September 2010. Ms Clark travelled to Mali, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, and South Africa.

“Achieving the MDGs means quite simply a better life for billions of people,” Helen Clark said. “...Reaching the Millennium Development Goals is possible, and there is a range of tried and tested policies which ensure progress, particularly when backed by strong partnerships.”

UNAIDS participated in one leg of the tour as part of a joint mission with UNDP. UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé accompanied Ms Clark to Mali on a four-day mission where he reiterated his call for preventing HIV transmission from mothers to children. "I am honoured to join Helen Clark on her first visit to Mali, which is a clear sign of the UN's commitment to reach zero new HIV infections," Mr Sidibé said.

Ms Clark met with Heads of State and Ministers, touched base with women leaders and members of civil society, and visited development projects.

Mali has been making important headway in tackling the AIDS epidemic, having reduced national prevalence from 1.7% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2006 and dramatically expanding universal access to HIV services.

Ms Clark also reiterated the importance of empowering women to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, describing “economic empowerment, access to legal rights, including inheritance rights, and participation in decision-making” as key steps toward achieving women’s empowerment.

In Burkina Faso, she toured a project which facilitates access to energy for rural women, and visited one of 176 UNDP-supported AIDS community associations where she spoke with sex workers about their concerns for the future.

The prevalence rate of HIV in Burkina Faso has dropped from 7% in 2002 to 1.6% in 2008, one of the lowest in West Africa. Despite this progress, the country still faces an epidemic mostly affecting women between 15 and 24 years old.

In Tanzania, Ms Clark met with the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mustafa Mkulo, to discuss the country’s progress towards the MDGs, particularly on the AIDS response, empowering women, and enrolling children in primary school. She also travelled to Zanzibar and visited the Jozani-Chwaka Bay Conservation Area, the single most important site for the conservation of the island’s biodiversity.

Ms Clark toured the National Electoral Commission’s voter registration facilities where she spoke to first-time voters planning to take part in the national elections this October. UNDP’s support to Tanzania’s election process includes voter education, training for media and political parties, and training domestic observers.

In the last leg of her Africa tour Ms Clark visited South Africa, where she launched an MDGs campaign song in Johannesburg for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, "8 Goals for Africa". The song encourages commitment to the achievement of the MDGs.

“There can be no spectators in the fight against poverty,” she said at the launch. “Everyone has a role to play in scoring the 8 Millennium Development Goals, which if reached would improve the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people across developing countries.”

Ms Clark ended her four-country tour of Africa by launching the second annual Picture This photo contest in Johannesburg in partnership with Olympus Corporation and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Foundation. The contest, titled Picture This: We Can End Poverty, seeks to show the inspirational work that is being done in many countries to achieve the MDGs.

“Through the photo contest this year we want to show that the MDGs can be reached, even in the poorest and most disadvantaged countries,” Ms Clark concluded.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé visited the outpatient clinic and maternity ward at Yaoundé’s central hospital. 19 May 2010.

After almost ten years, 28-year old Angele is a mother again. “My daughter is my joy. She is such a wonder,” said the young woman who wishes to keep her identity a secret as she is living with HIV in Oug-ebe, a shantytown in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

She found out she was HIV-positive in 2001 when she underwent a test at the time of her first pregnancy. Even though she took antiretroviral treatment to prevent HIV transmission to her fetus, her baby was born HIV-positive and died after nine months from an AIDS-related illness. “They told me that I was in a highly infectious stage when I was pregnant so the drugs didn’t work. I was devastated. Only after almost ten years, when I heard the science had improved did I get pregnant again," said Angele.

And her gamble paid off with a gift: Crissile (not real name) a healthy baby girl who is HIV free. While Angele savours each moment with the playful toddler, she confesses that she still lives with a shadow of doubt. “I always worry that maybe the diagnosis was wrong. They say the test isn’t always right”.

An addition to that gnawing concern is her daily struggle with stigma and discrimination. During the interview, she nervously closes the window and shuts her door, to keep her disclosures from curious neighbours. “We rent this place and if the neighbours found out I was HIV-positive, I might get kicked out of my home,” said Angele.

At the moment she is a volunteer in an outpatient clinic in Yaoundé’s central Hospital, but has no job and relies on her family for support.

Over the past ten years the clinic, which provides care management and treatment for HIV patients, has seen a lot of progress. Last year, it treated more than 26-thousand HIV patients and put more than 6000 on antiretroviral therapy. “I think discrimination has gotten better, but we still mask what we do by also saying we treat skin diseases, so our HIV patients have a cover,” said the centre’s director, Dr Charles Kouanfack.

Cameroon has led the way in Africa in decentralizing its AIDS response. Now almost all health districts are equipped to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT). While coverage of treatment to prevent babies from getting HIV reached almost 34% of pregnant women living with HIV in 2009, a vast improvement from the 18 % of 2008, the country still has a long way to go. Dr Kouanfack says while health districts have reached almost their maximum level of PMTCT coverage the problem is that many women do not go to hospitals and clinics to give birth. Pregnant women in rural and marginalized communities will have their children at home with a mid-wife. So, the next step would be to implement strategies to reach out to vulnerable women.

However, ramping up HIV coverage has had other benefits. “The resources which have gone to HIV treatment have also helped improve the capacity of health systems in general. We see that ameliorating the management of HIV has helped increase the professionalism of our laboratories and medical staff,” said Dr K Kouanfack.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé has championed the prevention of mother to child HIV transmission. He has made the eradication of babies born with HIV a top priority. “It is not acceptable that in countries like France or the US practically no pregnant HIV positive women give birth to babies with HIV, but in places like Cameroon, still far too many babies are born with HIV,” said Mr Sidibé. “This kind of inequality is intolerable. We know we can stop mother to child transmission of HIV, so we must continue to redouble our efforts to overcome this injustice.”

He visited the HIV treatment centre and maternity ward at Yaoundé’s central hospital this week and praised the efforts Cameroon has made to eradicate the transmission of HIV from mother to child. But he called on the leadership to continue to expand prevention measures and become a model of PMTCT in Africa.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé (right) during the plenary session on human security issues in Africa. Yaoundé, 19 May 2010.

The heads of seven African states are in Yaoundé at the invitation of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their countries’ independence on Thursday. The seven leaders, who come mostly from central Africa, also took part in the closing ceremony of the international conference “Africa 21” on Wednesday evening.

The high-level conference, themed “Africa, a chance for the world: realities and challenges,” brought together many international leaders including Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Ali Abdussalam Treki, two former French prime ministers, Michel Rocard and Alain Juppe, as well as former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

“Africa is a sleeping giant about to be awoken,” said Mr Annan, who then outlined how the region is increasingly becoming an active player on the world stage, participating actively in the G20 and in international climate talks in Copenhagen last December.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé also participated in the closing ceremony and was the president of a plenary session on human security issues in Africa.

“In today’s interconnected and interdependent world, countries recognize that domestic action alone can no longer assure the security of their people and economies,” said Mr Sidibé, “AIDS is one of the first examples in the modern era of how a transnational threat to human health has prompted a concerted response to global governance.”

He stressed that if the impact of the epidemic on health and human security is not stopped, many African countries will be unable to adequately address any other development issue. To overcome the inroads HIV is making on the African continent he said AIDS must be taken out of isolation and called on international, national and community leaders to harness their political clout and resources to push for an end to AIDS.

Country visit

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and Cameroon’s First Lady Chantal Biya during his visit to the pan-African non-governmental organization “Synergies Africaines contre le SIDA et les souffrances” (African Synergies against AIDS and suffering). Yaoundé, 19 May 2010.

As part of his official visit to the country, Mr Sidibé was invited by Cameroon’s First Lady Chantal Biya to visit the pan-African non-governmental organization “Synergies Africaines contre le SIDA et les souffrances” (African Synergies against AIDS and suffering) where he also met the First Lady of Burkina Faso, Chantal Compoare. The NGO leverages the celebrity status of its 26 African First Ladies who are members and have as a mission improving the health of the African people. At the NGO, members of civil society expressed their hope for UNAIDS to support Cameroon in its bid to qualify for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s Round 10 after the country’s unsuccessful proposal for previous round.

Mr Sidibé also visited First Lady Biya’s international research centre which is conducting research into an HIV vaccine as well as exploring resistance to antiretroviral therapy.

On Tuesday, Mr. Sidibé and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro discussed the challenges and national priorities on HIV with the United Nations country team in Cameroon. Later, they visited Yaoundé’s Sanitation Project (PADY) which is funded by the African Development Bank and implemented by the government of Cameroon. The project aims to alleviate the recurrent flooding in the city of Yaoundé and also reduce urban poverty. A PADY employee spoke about sensitization on HIV. The project provides voluntary counseling and testing on HIV and 50% of employees have undergone HIV tests.

Global Fund Ambassador, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. Credit: Global Fund

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has launched a new campaign BORN HIV FREE to mobilize public support for its work and contribute to the global effort for a world where no child is born with HIV by 2015. At the core of the campaign, originated and supported by Global Fund Ambassador, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, is a series of creative films intended to inspire people to sign up online in support of The Global Fund’s mission.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’s support for the BORN HIV FREE campaign follows a call in 2009 from UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé to virtually eliminate mother-to-child transmission by 2015.

HIV-positive mothers can pass on HIV to their babies during pregnancy, child labour, delivery or by breast-feeding. The risk of transmission can be significantly reduced if they get access to HIV prevention and treatment services.

“It is heartbreaking that over 400,000 babies are born with HIV every year even though we have the medical means and the expertise to prevent this,” said Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, The Global Fund’s Ambassador for Protecting Women and Children against AIDS. “I hope the BORN HIV FREE campaign will inspire millions of people to support The Global Fund so we can finally put an end to this terrible injustice.”

HIV-positive mothers can pass on HIV to their babies during pregnancy, child labour, delivery or by breast-feeding. The risk of transmission can be significantly reduced if they get access to HIV prevention and treatment services.

“We can win this battle against AIDS if we get the funding we require,” said Professor Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of The Global Fund. “This campaign is intended to encourage people to sign up in support of The Global Fund and to show their leaders that there is strong public support to continue and increase funding for its mission.”

The campaign will operate in several languages with short animation films aiming to expand public awareness that an HIV-free generation is possible within five years if governments continue funding the AIDS response. More information can also be found on the campaign’s web site (www.bornhivfree.org).

Since its establishment in 2002, The Global Fund has approved proposals totaling US$ 19.4 billion making it the main contributor to the health–related Millennium Development Goals. If current progress rates are maintained, it is possible to ensure that virtually no children anywhere in the world are born with HIV by 2015.

A majority of The Global Fund’s resources come from donor governments. This year countries will pledge funding for the next three years (2011-2013) to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. On 5 October 2010, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will chair a meeting of donor countries in New York. The BORN HIV FREE campaign will run until the key meeting in New York in order to mobilize public support for its work.

(L to R) Chen Zhu, Minister of Health of China, Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health of South Africa and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. Credit: UNAIDS

In key bilateral meetings held on the eve of the 63rd World Health Assembly in Geneva, Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS engaged ministers of health from leading countries on how investments in AIDS can be used to leverage progress towards the other Millennium Develop Goals (MDGs).

During a meeting with Chen Zhu, Minister of Health of China, and Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health of South Africa, Michel Sidibé cited these two countries as leading examples of the AIDS plus MDG agenda. “China and South Africa are leading examples of how national leadership on AIDS can accelerate broader goals for health and development.”

Michel Sidibé congratulated Minister Zhu for China’s recent decision to lift HIV-related travel restrictions prior to the opening of Expo 2010 in Shanghai. “Every individual should have equal access to freedom of movement,” said Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director. “This is a powerful signal that foreigners who wish to visit, work and live in China are welcome—regardless of their HIV status.”

Michel Sidibé also praised Minister Motsoaledi for South Africa’s leadership in response to HIV. “With the launch of the National HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign, South Africa has launched the world’s largest AIDS initiative that integrates HIV with larger public health goals.” said Sidibé. On 25 April, South Africa’s President Zuma launched South Africa’s National HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign, which aims to voluntarily test 15 million South Africans for HIV in coming months. According to Minister Motsoaledi, “the HIV Counselling & Testing campaign also offers people taking HIV tests the incentive of free screening for hypertension, blood sugar levels, haemoglobin, TB and cervical cancer.”

UNAIDS is collaborating with China and South Africa on the development of the ‘AIDS plus MDG agenda,’ which aims to position the AIDS movement as a force for accelerating progress towards the MDGs. UNAIDS is developing plans for a high-level side event on AIDS plus MDGs during the UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals in September 2010 that will be co-hosted by the Governments of China and South Africa.

In another meeting, Michel Sidibé met with Dr Jose Gomes Temporao, Minister of Health of Brazil. Brazil is recognized by UNAIDS for having been one of the first countries to achieve universal access to treatment. “Brazil is a model to other countries in its national response to AIDS,” said Michel Sidibé. “Brazil has also demonstrated how AIDS has strengthen the national health system, and the fight for equality and human rights.” Mr Sidibé and Dr Temporao also discussed how Brazil has used HIV to advance the use of trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) to increase access to essential health commodities. They also agreed feature the results of a 10-year assessment of the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health and HIV in Brazil later this year.

May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia. Homophobia is considered one of the main obstacles in implementing HIV prevention strategies. Of the 192 member states of the United Nations, 85 have laws that still criminalize homosexual behaviour and, in some of these countries, conviction can even result in the death penalty.

Speaking on the occasion, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé said, “I urge all governments to take steps to eliminate stigma and discrimination faced by men who have sex with men, lesbians and transgender populations. They must also create social and legal environments that ensure respect for human rights and enable universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.”


Video message from UNAIDS Executive Director

At least 5-10% of HIV infections worldwide are estimated to occur through sex between men, though this figure varies considerably between countries and regions. Yet men who have sex with men continue to face discrimination from healthcare workers, other service providers, employers and the police. Discrimination prevents men who have sex with men from disclosing their sexual orientation, or reporting for HIV services. Consequently their vulnerability to infection is increased, and national data do not reflect the size of the HIV epidemic that is linked to same-sex behaviour involving men.

Removing punitive laws, policies, practices, stigma and discrimination that block effective responses to AIDS is one of UNAIDS’ 10 priority areas in the Joint Outcome Framework for 2009-2011. Another key priority of the Framework is also to empower men who have sex with men, sex workers and transgender people to protect themselves from HIV infection and to fully access antiretroviral therapy.

The 2001 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) Declaration of Commitment on HIV/ AIDS adopted by all UN Member States emphasized the importance of “addressing the needs of those at the greatest risk of, and most vulnerable to, new infection as indicated by such factors as […] sexual practices.” In the 2006 United Nations Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, governments committed to removing legal barriers and passing laws to protect vulnerable populations.

Many governments have not acknowledged that sex between men happens and that unprotected anal sex contributes to the transmission of HIV. Often if recognized, there is insufficient political will, funding and programming to address it.

“Homophobia and transphobia drive significant parts of HIV epidemics underground in all regions of the world. Only around one in 10 MSM and transgender people have access to HIV prevention services", said Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. “The Global Fund is fully committed to addressing these inequities for the benefit of MSM and transgender communities and broader populations”.

UNAIDS hosted an event at its headquarters in Geneva that included the screening of a short video on homophobia in Jamaica and how it impacts people, titled A Deadly Cycle and a film Translatina, a full-length documentary that offers a realistic look at the challenges faced by transgender people in accessing education, work, justice, health care, and other services in Latin America.

Also on the agenda were discussions by Frank Mugisha, Executive Director, Sexual Minorities of Uganda; LGBT rights activist Ashok Row Kavi, who is also Technical Officer, Sexual Minorities, UNAIDS country office for India; and Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, WHO HIV director.

In 1990, the World Health Assembly approved the 10th Edition of the International Classification of Diseases (World Health Organization) on May 17, which established that sexual orientation (heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual), on its own, would no longer “be considered as a disorder”. For this reason May 17 is used to mark the International Day against Homophobia.

Credit: WHO/Jesse Hoffmann

The 63rd World Health Assembly, the gathering of the decision-making body of World Health Organization (WHO), opened in Geneva today. Health Ministers and officials from across the world will meet until 21 May 2010 to discuss the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR).

There are 194 countries across the globe, including all the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) who are State Parties to the IHR, a binding, international legal instrument. The aim of these global rules is to help the international community prevent and respond to acute public health risks that have the potential to cross borders and threaten people worldwide.

The IHR, for example, require countries to report certain disease outbreaks and public health events to WHO and also to strengthen their existing capacities for public health surveillance and response.

This year’s World Health Assembly will also focus on monitoring the achievements of the health-related Millennium Development Goals. In the year 2000, 189 countries committed their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty. They set out a series of targets to be reached by 2015. These have become known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and include halving extreme poverty, halting the spread of HIV and providing universal primary education.

The World Health Assembly is attended by delegations from all WHO member states yearly to focus on specific health agenda. Last year’s Assembly focused considerable attention on the widespread outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) and the most effective responses to the potential pandemic, including preparedness, access to vaccines and sharing of influenza viruses.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé attended a high-level international conference, Africa 21 in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The African continent is experiencing major changes as 17 African countries prepare to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their independence in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Two days before the anniversary celebrations, a high-level international conference, Africa 21 began on Tuesday in Yaoundé. The conference is called “Africa, a chance for the world: realities and challenges,” and brings together top politicians, economists, international civil servants and business leaders, including former United Nations Secretaries of State, Kofi Annan and Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Much of the debate will focus on macro-economic issues.

Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibé will participate in the conference’s plenary session on security issues on Wednesday.

“As an African I am proud to take part in events marking the rebirth of this continent,” said Mr Sidibé. “There is so much potential and promise here,”

Mr Sidibé began his three-day working trip to Cameroon on Monday. Aside from attending “Africa 21,” he will meet with the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya. He will also make a joint field visit with Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Abdoulie Janneh. They will visit an urban renewal project in Yaoundé, which is financed by the African Development Bank, the International Labour Organization and the government of Cameroon.

Mr. Sidibé will also visit Yaoundè’s central hospital, which has a major HIV treatment centre and meet with people living with HIV. He will tour the International Research Centre, Chantal Biya, which aims to develop research into vaccines and treatment into major diseases challenging Africa, particularly HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. One of the highlights of Mr. Sidibé’s visit is his meeting with leaders of civil society and people living with HIV.

Cameroon has a generalised HIV epidemic with a prevalence of 5.5% in adults aged 15-49 years old. Cameroon has led the way in decentralizing its AIDS response. Now almost all health districts are equipped to manage mother-to-child HIV transmission. Around 46% of people with an advanced stage of HIV infection were receiving antiretroviral therapy in 2009 compared to 39% in 2008.

(from left) Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA’s Executive Director; President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS’ Executive Director. 10 May 2010 Credit: UNFPA

President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has pledged to promote the emergence an AIDS-Free Generation, to ensure safer motherhood and to eliminate mother-child-transmission of HIV in his country.

“These are priorities for the women and children of my country,” President Kabila said as he received a joint mission to his nation by Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA’s Executive Director, and Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS’ Executive Director.

“I will lead in ensuring an AIDS-Free Generation in DRC,” the President added, expressing his commitment to launch a national initiative to reverse the AIDS epidemic.

The Executive Directors thanked President Kabila for his readiness to make safe motherhood and an AIDS-Free Generation priorities not only in his country, but also in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union.

UNFPA’s Ms. Obaid highlighted the links between women’s health, reproductive health and HIV: “By integrating HIV services for maternal and child health with general sexual and reproductive health, the Democratic Republic of the Congo will reap great benefits for the health system.” She urged the country to seize the opportunity offered by the Campaign for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) to launch the President’s initiative for an AIDS-Free Generation.

UNAIDS’ Mr. Sidibé welcomed President Kabila’s decision to use his leadership as Chair of the SADC to rally his peers across Africa to support this urgent agenda. “Mr. President – you have the unique opportunity to restore the health and dignity of mothers, sisters and daughters in DRC and beyond.”

The Executive Directors stressed the need to take AIDS out of isolation and integrate it with related health interventions for the most effective outcomes. They called the virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission by 2015 a concrete but achievable goal.

Currently, more than 40,000 infants are born with HIV infection every year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Only 2 per cent of pregnant women have access to services to prevent mother-to-child transmission, and only 8 per cent of pregnant of women are offered HIV testing and counselling.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the six countries in the world that together account for 50 per cent of the world’s maternal deaths. Each hour, maternal death takes the lives of about four women.

During their joint mission, the Executive Directors are also scheduled to meet with the Prime Minister, other Government officials, parliamentarians and civil society representatives, including people living with HIV.

High-profile cricketers including Graeme Smith, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Stafanie Taylor team took time out from the Twenty20 World Cup being held at Barbados to help support cricket’s global response to HIV.

A series of community activities have been organized during the tournament by the Think Wise partnership. While Sri Lanka’s captain Sangakkara visited a school in Barbados to deliver an HIV prevention session, the Indian team hosted community groups and carried out cricket training sessions.

The South African squad invited a group of children aged 12-15 to visit a training session followed by a 15-minute question and answer session with skipper Smith. The children then showcased their cricketing skills to Rob Walter, the South Africa fitness trainer.

Stafanie Taylor and Stacy-Ann King, both of the West Indies women's cricket team, visited Project Viola in St Kitts which aims to provide services and support to teen mothers in school.

Think Wise, a partnership programme between UNAIDS, the International Cricket Council, UNICEF and the Global Media AIDS Initiative, was established to use the power of cricket to help tackle key issues around AIDS and encourage informed decision making by children and young adults.

The advocacy work carried out by the partnership and leading international cricketers delivers key information about HIV through public service announcements, event publications and online at international, regional and national levels. The partnership also provides information resources to young people and volunteers, coaches, as well as commentators and broadcasters about the AIDS epidemic.

Talking about the campaign, Graeme Smith said, “As a Think Wise Champion, I believe that it is very important to use my profile to encourage young people to protect themselves from HIV.

“By having the chance to meet young people from the region, I have been able to understand the important work that organizations such as UNAIDS and UNICEF, working with local agencies, do in providing young people with education on HIV in the Caribbean,” he added.

UNICEF Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Tom Olsen, added: “We are extremely proud of this partnership and value it highly. We talk a lot of sports for development and know the value of using sports to effect positive behavioural change."

Sri Lankan skipper Sangakkara said, “Hopefully more players and umpires will join in with this project in the future so we can continue to spread the word.”

A Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS public service announcement campaign, featuring Taylor alongside other leading Caribbean celebrities, is also being played on the big screen at matches and by CBMP broadcasters across the region.

Tickets have been donated to local community groups who run HIV prevention programmes, umpires are wearing Think Wise logos on their shirts and players in the semi-finals and the final on May 16 will wear red ribbons as a show of support for people living with HIV.

The partnership between UNAIDS and ICC began in September 2003 when they first teamed up to bring messages of HIV prevention to young people across cricket playing nations. In 2006 UNICEF also joined the partnership which now also supports the “Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS” campaign.