KCteam

Greetings from Health and Development Networks! As World AIDS Day (WAD) approaches (1st December 2008), HDN is inviting Key Correspondents (KCs) from across the world to ‘Speak Your World’ about WAD 2008!

BACKGROUND

This year is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, and HDN would like all Key Correspondents to write articles for dissemination on Healthdev.net, and other potential outlets, such as a RSS feed to the World AIDS Campaign website.

Past themes of WAD have included:

• Communication (the very first, in 1988)
  
• Family (1994).
  
• Men (2000)
  
• Stigma (2002 & 2003)
  
• Women and girls (2004)
  

This year’s WAD theme is ‘Leadership’– the same as 2007, continuing the series of linked themes from 2005 all focusing on the slogan ‘Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise’.

Lots of details about WAD are available here: worldaidscampaign.org, including the following summary:

“The 1st of December, World AIDS Day, is the day when individuals and organisations from around the world come together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Whilst we have come a long ways since 1988, there is still much more to be done.”

Also on the website, is a World AIDS Campaign press release, which can be viewed here: http://tinyurl.com/6h4qac

The release includes this statement:

“In the midst of a global financial crisis, leaders must deliver on their AIDS promises or hard fought gains will be lost, declares the World AIDS Campaign in highlighting the theme of leadership for World AIDS Day.

This 1st of December 2008 is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, which is marked by significant progress in prevention and treatment over the past two decades, but highlights how much more still needs to be done by leaders at all levels to reach universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010.”

Visit the website (link above) for more information.

CONTENT

We would like KCs to share your thoughts on one (or more) of the following themes:

• What does ‘leadership’ look like in your region and country – governmental and non-governmental – in continuing the progress, and identifying what YOU believe are areas requiring new interventions?
• It has been 20 years since the first WAD. What has WAD done to increase the visibility and response to AIDS in your country or region? Some questions to reflect upon – what progress has there been in your country? What are the key areas that still need attention? How has your country and region changed over the past two decades with regard to HIV?
• How can the impact of WAD be expanded beyond a single day, to have an effect throughout the year?
• HDN has been focusing on the effects of HIV on children during 2008 – you may wish to focus on this topic, and a recent HDN report can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/55gfhh
• What are your hopes for ‘leadership’ to achieve Universal Access by 2010 – what do you wish for in the fight against HIV & AIDS, and the support and treatment of affected people?

LOGISTICS

We would like KCs to write articles of between 500-800 words, and post these on healthdev.net by the week of December 1st at the latest. Please add the tag “WAD 2008” when uploading your story so that others can find your contribution through the RSS feed that we are creating for other sites.

If you would like to contact HDN to discuss ideas, or for access to a critical reader, please email in the first instance:

Ian Hodgson: ian@hdnet.org

Amber Phalen: amber@hdnet.org

We look forward to reading your articles!

Labels: article, Campaign, Day, International AIDS Conference, KC, WAD, World, World AIDS Day 2008