Hand up for #HIVPrevention

More than 30 years December 1st is known as the World AIDS Day. In the lead-up to World AIDS Day 2016, the hands up for #HIVprevention campaign will explore different aspects of HIV prevention and how they relate to specific groups of people, such as adolescent girls and young women, key populations and people living with HIV.

To become a part of the world campaign, UNAIDS is asking people around the world to submit:

• A photograph of a word or short phrase written on the palm of their hand summarizing what we need to strengthen HIV prevention efforts, for example more condoms, empowerment, inclusion, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), rights for women and girls; and/or
• A short video message (maximum 30 seconds) explaining what in their view needs to be done to reduce new HIV infections in their community. 

In their website, UNAIDS also provides resources, templates for posters and banners, as well as ready materials that civil society, individual and people who care, to use in their websites and on social media.

Lena Nanushyan

What does #HIVprevention mean 4 you? Civil Society activists working on HIV, AIDS and human rights issues in Armenia gave various answers to that question: mostly they mentioned dignity, justice, access to anti-retroviral treatment treatment, HIV testing, access to Opiate Substitution Treatment, human rights protection of most at risk population, care and support.

Lena Nanushyan, National Programme Office, UNAIDS Armenia said: "For me it is #HIVtesting. Testing will prevent deaths & new cases. Hands up for #HIVprevention!"

"Now is the time to come together again and finish what we started. Let us seize this opportunity and join the fast-track towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030." Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director.