FHI Observes World AIDS Day

Supporting Smart Leadership in Government and in Business

DECEMBER 2007 — This year, World AIDS Day focused on leadership. In keeping with this motif, FHI was a sponsor of a World AIDS Day briefing on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, Nov. 28, along with the Global Health Council, the African Union Mission to the United States, and the Pan American Health Organization. FHI President of Research Ward Cates was on a panel of experts who discussed the way ahead, including scaling up new prevention technologies and linking HIV/AIDS programs to basic healthcare services.

FHI/Côte d'Ivoire promoted individual action to stop AIDS by helping two partners—General Confederation of Enterprises in Côte d'Ivoire and Coalition des Entreprises de Côte d'Ivoire contre le VIH/SIDA—to organize a knowledge exchange on building workplace programs for 50 businesses (read more).

Counseling and Testing
While Côte d'Ivoire focused on workplace programs, the Zambia Prevention, Care and Treatment Partnership (ZPCT) offered mobile counseling and testing in five provinces, including in hard-to-reach districts (read more). FHI field staff reached some 1,250 people with counseling, testing, and referral services at these events. Special efforts were made to reach out to men and children, who are often less likely to receive counseling and testing services. "World AIDS Day is a good opportunity to get people into services because of the mobilization and awareness-raising," says Director of Programs Asha Basnyat. "If counseling and testing are provided right then and there, community members are more likely to accept these services."

Mobile counseling and testing were special features of several commemorations in Nigeria, including in Abuja, the federal capitol. FHI staff, who are responsible for counseling and testing under the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative Nigeria (GHAIN) program, offered the service in several locations in Eagle Square, the site of the main event and where the most important national ceremonies and rallies are held (read more).

In Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), FHI staff and the country director marked World AIDS Day by participating in official ceremonies Nov. 30 that launched a counseling and testing site in Mbuji-Mayi that primarily serves military personnel and their families. The site is funded by US Department of Defense, while FHI is responsible for its counseling and testing services. At the ceremony attended by the minister of health, General Bahuma Ambamba, commander of the 5th Military Region, showed his support by being publicly counseled and tested. Approximately 80 troops followed suit (read more).

Access to Treatment, Care, and Support for Children
Because only 15 percent of all children who need antiretroviral treatment have access to it, FHI recently launched a bold new pediatric AIDS initiative, and is partnering with UNICEF to bring quality HIV/AIDS programs to greater numbers of women and children (read about Clinton Global Initiative committment). FHI/Nepal's World AIDS Day activities built on these partnerships.

With USAID support, FHI organized and co-sponsored the launch of a children's initiative Nov. 29. FHI, UNICEF, USAID, the US and Nepalese governments, and the National Association of PLHA Nepal (NAPN) have partnered to help achieve universal access to treatment, care, and support for children affected by AIDS and their families. NAPN President Rajiv Kafle, Nepal's leading HIV/AIDS activist, attended the event, along with some 100 children and representatives of media, donors, civil society organizations, and businesses.

Gender, Youth, and HIV
Because women and girls make up almost 60 percent of adults living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, the  UJANA Project in Tanzania held its World AIDS Day activities in conjunction with another global event, the 16 days of Activism Against Gender Violence Against Women. At a "girls' power" conference, a talent competition was held to create messages for the young women's procession.

Among other activities, FHI/Jordan participated in a youth-focused World AIDS Day event Dec. 1 in Irbid, under the patronage of the Minister of Health. The event included a march by scouts and students; speeches by the minister and USAID, UN, and local representatives; and a sketch by Yarmouk University peer educators. It concluded by recognizing outstanding people who helped people living with AIDS and promoted prevention in 2007. A specially designed crystal object was presented to Irbid's governor, who is taking a leadership role on HIV/AIDS issues. Next year, it will go to another worthy recipient.

Young people at risk for HIV infection can often be reached through popular culture, television, and music, so FHI/Dominican Republic, through the USAID-funded CONECTA Project, supported for the fifth consecutive year a national song contest to commemorate World AIDS Day. It is open to amateur songwriters under 24, and songs must address HIV/AIDS-related themes. FHI Country Director Tito Coleman says the contest reaches an estimated 2.5 million people annually. The ten winning songs are professionally produced and released on a CD that is used by NGOs and the media as an educational tool throughout the year.

Within its 13 hours of continuous coverage of World AIDS Day events, national television channel 4 aired three hours devoted to the song contest and the presentation of prizes to the top three winners.

The Power of Performance
Music was also an important part of World AIDS Day activities in Papua New Guinea. The FHI country office promoted and sponsored the performance at the Dec. 1 World AIDS Day event in Port Morseby of a band called Positive Living, whose songs deal with HIV prevention, stigma and discrimination, and care and support. In the band are two outreach volunteers with FHI programs who are also members of the national organization of people living with AIDS. The FHI country office also put up a display stall for fact sheets and other HIV/AIDS-related publications at Jack Pidik Park, the venue for the event.

A powerful video (in Portuguese and English) titled My Husband's Denial that features the value of participatory grassroots theater in changing behavior and encouraging HIV testing was launched by FHI/Mozambique on World AIDS Day. The well-attended event included a presentation by the theatrical group seen in the video, Teatro do Oprimido, a photo exposition and a reception.

A theatrical performance titled Ribbons in Red was chosen by FHI/Pakistan for its main World AIDS Day activity in Islamabad. Produced by a professional theater company, performed by transgendered people, and based on a true story, the drama shows how a young woman infected with HIV faces stigma and discrimination and becomes a strong advocate for the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS. The event was arranged in collaboration with Pakistan's National AIDS Control Programme, and attracted the federal minister of health, the USAID mission director and health director, country representatives from WHO and UNFPA, heads of prominent local NGOs and local partners, prominent journalists, and representatives of program beneficiaries and people living with HIV and AIDS.

In Tanzania, FHI and its partners organized community theater events as well as "road shows" at gathering places such as bus stops and markets. Crowds attracted by the music, dancing, and singing were given information about HIV and AIDS by integrated communication teams and at interactive question-and-answer sessions.

In Guyana, poetry readings, song, dance, and an HIV/AIDS jingle competition formed part of World AIDS Day events organized by the Ministry of Health, together with a health fair supported by the FHI-led Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction and Prevention (GHARP) Project.

Keeping the Faith and Putting an End to AIDS
FHI/Guyana also organized an interfaith service Dec. 1 that brought together government leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, private-sector partners, and NGOs to heighten public awareness that the response to HIV/AIDS is everyone's business. Some 200 people attended. Guyana's three main religions—Christian, Hindu, and Muslim—were represented at the service and in a variety of musical performances.

Throughout the world, headquarters and country offices of FHI and its partners reached out through music, mass media, street theater, advocacy, and service provision to mobilize leaders, businesses, and people everywhere to stop AIDS and keep the promise.

PHOTOS: (top) Fans cheer song contestants at the Dominican Republic's 2006 World AIDS Day celebration.

(2nd from top) A crowd gathers for a ZPCT-sponsored road show in Zambia in October 2007. Many such entertaining and informational events were held for World AIDS Day this year.

(3rd from top) A young women's procession on World AIDS Day in Tanzania. A competition at a "girls' power" conference produced the messages displayed. They included, "The measure of true love is to wait (abstain)," and "Get tested for HIV, be at peace."

(bottom) The venue for the World AIDS Day launch of FHI/Mozambique's powerful video, My Husband's Denial.

— Clare Hayden and Hilary Russell