World AIDS Day 2009 "Stop the Counter"

Public Information and Need of Knowledge, Armenian Student Forum, Real World - Real People, Positive People Armenian Network non-governmental organizations conducted “Stop the Counter” action dedicated to the World AIDS Day aiming to raise society's awareness and consciousness about the spread of HIV and stigma & discrimination against people living with HIV.

In the frames of the project trainers of PINK Armenia organized "HIV awareness" training sessions for 70 volunteers of ASF from November 26 to 29.

On November 30, we organized a press conference in "Urbat" press club dedicated to the World AIDS Day (financial support by Norwegian Government). About 25 journalists participated in the discussion addressing their questions to the coordination team of the event. During the conference mainly were touched the problems of students, drug users, men having sex with men, sex workers and people living with HIV.

That evening, which was the last preparational day, stayed in our memories as a day of friendship, tolerence and unity. More than 20 people joined to make hundreds of handmade boxes, tasty cookies with the shape of ribbon, drawing on the posters and T-shirts. It was the day when people did not care if others are married or single, students or employees, gay or heterosexual, living with or without HIV.

On December 1, we all gathered near the statue of Komitas (near Conservatory) at 4pm, having white T-Shirts with numbers on it and a red ribbon on the back side. Those numbers were symbolizing the number of people being infected with HIV in Armenia.
After we moved, taking direction to Republic Square through the Northern avenue. Like never before, we had few live performances and flash mobs on the way, tryingto concentrate society's attention on the issues of HIV and human rights. We had several banners in our hands written on it: "HIV cannot be transmitted by respect, friendship, care, touch". The big Red Ribbon was held by two people in the front of the march.
At Republic Square we continued the other part of our action "Human Ribbon", to make the shape of ribbon with the help of participants as a sign of solidarity of people living with HIV.
At 6pm, as it was planned, we started the "Stop the Counter" action at Aznavour Square, near the cinema Moscow. There was a big screen, showing increasing number of people being infected with HIV, the goal of this part was to stop the counter with the help of society.There were colorful stones on the table and people were asked to make their contribution, to put one stone in the box. As heavier the box was becoming as slower the counter was working.Volunteers had time to explain people the importance of their input on prevention of HIV and respecting the rights of others. For each person we had a small box with a "Ribbon" cookie, two condoms and an info material.This was another step to break stereotypes among population about condoms, that condom can be in the same box with food and there is nothing wrong in it.
People were really active and the counter was stopped even earlier than we planned, It stoped on 2471, almost the number of people living with HIV in Armenia that statistic shows.

After we entered the cinema Moscow where National Center for AIDS Prevention prepared a movie to show. Before movie starts we had another live show on the stage, where each participant said one phrase created by the World AIDS Campaign (with few changes) in the frames of this year's slogan "Universal Access and Human Rights".
- I have rights to be healthy
- I am safe
- I am getting treatment
- I am well
- I am living my rights
- My baby has rights to live
- I am accepted
(watch the video below)

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We call our society to pay more attention on HIV related issues and remember that HIV can be transmitted also by hate, intolerence, abuse and dscrimination.
Make your contribution! Stop the counter of HIV infecting.
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PINK wants to thank the coordinator of the action Elmira Bakhshinyan (RWRP), Women's Resource Center and National Citizens' Initiative for their participation, municipality of Yerevan city for permission, all the volunteers and coordination team for their hard work and UNAIDS for the financial support.

more pictures are available at PINK website

Stop the counter

Public Information and Need of Knowledge, Armenian Student Forum, Real World - Real People, Positive People Armenian Network non-governmental organizations are organizing “Stop the Counter” action dedicated to World AIDS Day aiming to raise society's awareness and consciousness about the spread of HIV and stigma & discrimination against people living with HIV.
***
Make your contribution!
Stop the counter of HIV infecting.

>>November 26-28
15.00 trainings: "HIV awareness" > PINK IEC

>>November 30
11.00am press conference > "Urbat" press club

December 1
16.00pm march > form Komitas statue
17.30pm human ribbon > Republic Square
18.00pm stop the counter > Aznavour Square

Advancing the rights of people living with and vulnerable to HIV

Human rights violations continue to hinder the response to HIV/AIDS, to place people at risk of HIV and to be addressed in AIDS programs and policy. Subordination of women constrains their ability to demand safer sex and their equal access to health and education services.

Men who have sex with men and sex workers are harassed and abused with impunity in many countries. Prisoners are denied access to HIV/AIDS services and support that are available to others. Indigenous persons and migrants face multiple forms of discrimination that inhibit their seeking of HIV/AIDS services.

People living with HIV/AIDS face a wide range of discriminatory practices in many settings. In short, in spite of widespread rhetorical support for human rights-based approaches to addressing HIV/AIDS, much remains to be done to safeguard the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and those most affected by the disease.

In facing these challenges, organizations of people living with HIV/AIDS, advocates and policy-makers have often needed and relied upon legal and human rights analysis and relevant research — to challenge discriminatory laws, to resist unjust or ill-informed policies, to use legal procedures to secure people’s rights and to transform social relations and conditions in ways that protect people against HIV and ensure access to dignity and care for those living with HIV.

Yet such information and tools are often inaccessible in a given language or format or seldom adapted to a particular set of new circumstances. In some cases, many resources exist on a given subject, but those who need these documents do not have the time or resources to find what they need or to work out which existing materials are most pertinent for their needs.

AIDSLEX (the AIDS and Law Exchange) gives concrete meaning to a “rights-based approach to HIV/AIDS”. This web portal is a tool for activists, community organizations, researchers, policy-makers, journalists, health workers and anyone who seeks quick and easy access to a wide range of resources about HIV, human rights and the law. It helps people around the world communicate and share information, materials and strategies, with the ultimate goal of contributing to a global effort to protect and promote the human rights of people living with or vulnerable to HIV and AIDS.

PINK breaks stereotypes

Armenian society can be described as a patriarchal one and men are viewed here as powerful and leading figure. Masculinity has exact shapes and perception and it is highly important to fit into this frames.

This is the core reason that “Public Information and Need of Knowledge” NGO decided to start “Masculinity: breaking stereotypes” project. We started this project on 29 of June, 2009. Within the framework of this project we organize trainings, group discussions and film watching activities about gender issues, perceptions, gender roles and stereotypes concerning masculinity in our society.

In the project we planned to organize an exhibition which would have the same logo as the project, that is “Masculinity: breaking stereotypes” and it took place on 17 of October at Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography.

Both professional artists and non professionals took part in the exhibition where they presented their perceptions about how the “real man” should be and which are the main stereotypes that exist in our reality. Participants were from Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Slovakia and USA.

During the exhibition the artists presented photos, graphic and ceramic art works, paintings and also short movies. The art works related to different spheres where stereotypes of masculinity are emphasized and appear to be an obstacle in daily life. In their works participants captured ideas about how man can be masculine and implement different roles that are not supposed to be done by an Armenian man, how understanding of who can touch whom, how and why disturb doctors in their work, harmony between men and women and how it is important to value sameness and not differences and etc.

The exhibition started with the presentation of the current project of the organization and after that 2 short movies were shown. Performance of art works was presented for the guests with the explanation of artists. Guests were asked to vote for the best art works and the 3 winners were granted according to the votes received from them and professional jury.Those who weren’t present at the exhibition will have a chance to see the electronic version of it in “Public Information and Need of Knowledge” NGO’s official website or can visit organization’s “Information, Education, Communication” office where the works will be presented during October 23 – 31, 2009.

Exhibition "Masculinty: Breaking Stereotypes"

"Public Information and Need of Knowledge" NGO invites you to take part in "Masculinity: Breaking Stereotypes" exhibition during which will be presented different works of art.

The entrance is free.

The event will take place in State Theatre, 26 Amiryan, (Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography), on 17 of October, 1pm-5pm

Official oppening on 2pm.