UN and major African bank in partnership to raise HIV/AIDS awareness

A hula hoop competition, aimed at raising HIV awareness, taking place at the Nelson Mandela/Soshanguve sports ground in South Africa

Under the partnership, the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) will use the Standard Bank Group’s marketing and communication resources across the continent to disseminate knowledge and expertise on responding to AIDS among the bank’s employees and local communities.

In the lead up to World AIDS Day on 1 December, the partnership organized activities in four countries – Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa – on the theme of ‘Getting to zero,’ a UNAIDS campaign promoting a vision of zero HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and complete eradication of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

In South Africa, where the bank is based, activities included community football matches and hula hoop competitions, engagement of local radio stations to conduct competitions around HIV knowledge, condom distribution and HIV information dissemination. Voluntary HIV counselling and testing was also provided and approximately 1,150 people tested over a two week period.

Activities in Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria also included community voluntary HIV counselling and testing, condom distribution, HIV information dissemination and a football gala with young people, bankers, ministers and parliamentarians. There were also AIDS awareness-raising sessions conducted among young people in 24 secondary schools by Standard Bank wellness champions.

“Our partnership with the Standard Bank Group is an excellent example of how businesses can significantly contribute to the AIDS response,” said Regina Castillo, head of UNAIDS private sector partnerships. “The Standard Bank Group is making a real difference by keeping both their workforce and their businesses healthy and contributing to the communities in which they work.”

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UNAIDS joins hands with Standard Bank to “Get to Zero”

16 December 2011

UNAIDS and the Standard Bank Group entered into a two year partnership in December 2011 to raise public awareness of the HIV epidemic within the African continent. Using the Standard Bank‘s marketing and communication resources, UNAIDS will bring its knowledge and expertise in the AIDS response to help raise awareness about HIV among the Bank’s employees and beyond into the local communities.

The Standard Bank Group is Africa’s biggest banking group in terms of assets, geographic spread and market capitalization. In the lead up to this year’s World AIDS Day, the partnership organized activities in four African countries—Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa—around the theme of “Getting to zero”.

In South Africa activities included community football matches and hula hoop competitions, engagement of local radio stations to conduct competitions around HIV knowledge, condom distribution and HIV information dissemination. Voluntary HIV counselling and testing was also provided and approximately 1150 people tested over a two week period.

“This is the first year we have partnered with UNAIDS for World AIDS Day,” said Udo Raab, Director, International Development Group at Standard Bank. “We believe that the 2011 campaign has laid a solid foundation for the partnership for years to come,” he added.

“Our partnership with the Standard Bank Group is an excellent example of how businesses can significantly contribute to the AIDS response,” said Regina Castillo, head of UNAIDS private sector partnerships. “The Standard Bank Group is making a real difference by keeping both their workforce and their businesses healthy and contributing to the communities in which they work”.

Standard Bank conducted internal HIV awareness raising and advocacy throughout the campaign period. This included providing information to staff on how to stay HIV free, supporting staff members affected by AIDS and the promotion of an accommodating, discrimination-free working environment. The internal campaign reached about 50,000 employees.

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About the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

UNAIDS’ Vision: Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.

Mission: UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

UNAIDS fulfills its mission by:

• Uniting the efforts of the United Nations system, civil society, national governments, the private sector, global institutions and people living with and most affected by HIV;
• Speaking out in solidarity with the people most affected by HIV in defense of human dignity, human rights and gender equality;
• Mobilizing political, technical, scientific and financial resources and holding ourselves and others accountable for results;
• Empowering agents of change with strategic information and evidence to influence and ensure that resources are targeted where they deliver the greatest impact and bring about a prevention revolution; and
• Supporting inclusive country leadership for sustainable responses that are integral to and integrated with national health and development efforts.

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> United Nations (UN).

The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 192 countries.

When States become Members of the United Nations, they agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter, an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes:

• to maintain international peace and security;
• to develop friendly relations among nations;
• to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
• and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)