What are YOU doing for World AIDS Day?

[Guest guest]

Dear Campaigners,

60 days to go! So what are you doing for World AIDS Day?

Please find attached a form that can be filled in and emailed or faxed back to

us at UNAIDS so that we can profile your events on our new website. The form is

self explanatory. If you would like to email it then please save your changes

and send it as an attachment to wac@.... Faxes can be sent to +41 22 791

4898.

Or if you prefer just send us an email (of no more than 200 words) telling us

what you are planning together with a contact reference such as a website, email

address or phone number. Please try and get this information to us within the

next few weeks.

Campaign Manual

UNAIDS and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

have produced a Campaign Manual that is now available on-line at the IFRC

website at: http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_pubs.pl?health/hivaids/TAA_commskit4.pdf

Reminder of the theme

The World AIDS Campaign for 2003 continues with its focus on stigma and

discrimination and a series of challenging brochures and TV spots are now in

distribution under the Live and let live slogan. Copies should now be available

from UNAIDS offices or from Geneva by emailing wac@... Copies of the

posters can be previewed at http://www.unaids.org/wac/2002/posters_1.html

US-based organizations wanting posters can order from the CDC National

Prevention Information Network who have kindly agreed to once again handle US

requests for campaign materials. US requests only to jmclean@...

or by calling Janice McLean on 301 562 1030.

Once we have details from you of key events for World AIDS Day they will be

posted on the campaign section of our new website at

http://www.unaids.org/en/events/campaigns.asp

Why stigma and discrimination?

To fight HIV/AIDS effectively we need to fight stigma and discrimination. To

fight stigma and discrimination we need to start by examining our own attitudes.

The Live and let live campaign encourages people to reflect on their attitudes.

HIV and AIDS can touch raw nerves in our communities. People have been disowned

by their families, fired from their jobs, asked to leave their homes and schools

and have faced discrimination in hospitals after revealing their HIV status. In

extreme cases they have even been physically attacked.

The stigma associated with HIV and AIDS relates to deep taboos within society.

For many the disease has a strong association with death, sex and drug use -

issues that many of us find difficult to talk openly about. Along with a general

discomfort in discussing these issues many communities also still have high

levels of ignorance, denial, fear and intolerance about HIV/AIDS. It is this

combination that can lead to strong negative reactions.

It is not only people currently living with an HIV diagnosis who are at risk

from stigma and discrimination. Left unchallenged these attitudes can create a

general climate of fear where many people become more afraid of stigma and

discrimination than of the disease itself.

When these conditions prevail people often choose to remain untested - even if

they know they have taken risks. This creates the kind of environment where the

disease can easily spread. We know that people can live with HIV without

appearing or feeling unwell. People who ignore their real or possible HIV status

risk faster disease progression themselves and risk spreading HIV to others.

Help us fight fear, shame, ignorance and injustice worldwide.

Very best wishes,

World AIDS Campaign at UNAIDS

E-mail: " <wac@...>