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UNAIDS and UNDP announce Red Ribbon Award 2008 winners

Biennial global award celebrates outstanding community leadership and action on AIDS

On the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) proudly announced the 25 winners of the Red Ribbon Award 2008.

Following a call for nominations launched on World AIDS Day 2007 from Mexico City, Geneva, New York and Colombo, over 550 nominations were received from 147 countries across the globe. A Technical Review Committee of experts in the community response to HIV selected 25 community-based organizations demonstrating remarkable efforts in terms of innovation, impact, sustainability, strategic partnerships, gender sensitivity and social inclusion. The innovative and sustainable approaches taken by the 25 winning organizations to provide HIV prevention, care, treatment and support to people living with HIV give inspiring evidence that effective community leadership is an essential component in the response to the global epidemic.

“We have brilliant examples of community action and leadership across the globe. However, most of them are unheard and unsung. The Red Ribbon Award is a way to recognize and honor them,” said Jeffrey O’Malley, Director of UNDP’s HIV/AIDS Practice.

These 25 community-based organizations honored by the Red Ribbon Award 2008 demonstrate extraordinary courage, resilience and strength in shaping the epidemic:

From Africa:
Centre for Popular Education and Human Rights Ghana – Ghana
Coalition of Women Living with HIV/AIDS – Malawi
Consol Homes – Malawi
FIMIZORE : Fikambanana Miaro ny Zony Rehetra (Organisation pour la protection des droits de tous) – Madagascar
Mama's Club – Uganda
Ntankah Village Women Common Initiative Group – Cameroon
Power Positive Support Community Based Organization - Kenya
Sanerela + - South Africa
Voice of Roses – Kenya

From Asia and the Pacific:
Empower Foundation - Thailand
National Federation of Women Living with HIV/AIDS- Nepal
People Like Us (PLUS) – India
Sanghamitra – India
Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust – India
Social Action for Women - Thailand
Yayasan Kesehatan Bali (Yakeba) – Indonesia

From Eastern Europe and Central Asia:
Estonian Network People Living With HIV - Estonia
Orlovskaya Regional Non-profit Organization Against AIDS, Phoenix PLUS - Russia

From Latin America and the Caribbean:
ASONVIHSIDA- Nicaragua
Asociación Civil Amavida-Venezuela
Fortaleciendo la Diversidad-Mexico
Grupo De Amigos con VIH-Mexico
Promoteurs Objectif Zéro Sida (POZ) –Haiti

From the Middle East and North Africa:
Association de Lutte Contre le Sida - Morocco
Mashhad Positive Club (Hamyaran Mosbat) – Iran

Two representatives from each organization are invited to participate in the XVII International AIDS Conference, in Mexico City from 3-8 August 2008. They will host the Community Tequio, a week-long dialogue space in the Global Village of the conference. They will also be the guests of honor at a formal award ceremony on 6 August attended by dignitaries and global leaders.

From the 25 winners, five will be selected during the conference by a jury of eminent persons to receive special recognition in the following categories; providing access to treatment, support and care; supporting children orphaned by AIDS; promoting human rights; empowering women and girls; and providing HIV prevention programs and services. The jury will include her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Norway, Dr. Paul Farmer, Dr. Helene Gayle, Dr. Tracy Higgins, President Mary Robinson and other prominent actors in the AIDS response. Each of the 25 winning organizations will receive USD 5,000 and the five communities receiving special recognition will receive an additional USD 15,000.

The Red Ribbon Awards’ ability to bring international recognition to grassroots organizations is unparalleled. The Awards highlight the fact that often the most effective and innovative responses to the global epidemic are implemented by small, grassroots community-based organizations.

For more information about the Red Ribbon Award, go to www.redribbonaward.org

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) www.unaids.org
UNAIDS is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations, bringing together the efforts and resources of the UNAIDS Secretariat and ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response. The Secretariat headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland—with staff on the ground in more than 80 countries. Coherent action on AIDS by the UN system is coordinated in countries through UN theme groups, and joint programmes on AIDS. UNAIDS’ Cosponsors include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) www.undp.org
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in 166 countries, working to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and reduce its impact. As a co-sponsor of UNAIDS, it helps countries put HIV/AIDS at the centre of national development and poverty reduction strategies; build national capacity to mobilize all levels of government and civil society for a coordinated and effective response to the epidemic; and protect the rights of people living with AIDS, women, and vulnerable populations.

XVII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008) www.iasociety.org
The International AIDS Conference is the most important gathering for the release and discussion of the scientific, programmatic and policy developments in the global response to HIV/AIDS. As the largest and most diverse international gathering devoted to a global health issue, the conference brings together the movement of people responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic to share their lessons and together stake out the road ahead. AIDS 2008’s vision is a conference that promotes scientific excellence and inquiry, encourages individual and collective action and dialogue, and fosters accountability.