1 December 2024
Every year, on December 1st, we come together to observe World AIDS Day (WAD) – a day dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, showing support for those living with HIV and the affected population, and honoring the memories of those who have lost their lives. According to the WHO, an estimated 39.9 million people were living with HIV globally in 2023. Approximately 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes. With an estimated 280,000 people living with HIV in Myanmar (sourced: UNAIDS), this year’s theme, ‘’Take the Rights Path”, called for action to address inequalities and protect human rights.
The HIV/TB Agency, Information, and Services (AIS) Activity, together with implementing partners (IPs), conducted a five-week online campaign from mid-November to mid-December. The campaign focuses on expanding social media outreach to raise HIV awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage community engagement across Myanmar. Here’s how it made an impact.
One of the core components of WAD social media campaigns is the innovative drawing contest: Draw4AIDS. Hosted on the AIS’s 528Love Facebook page and shared by IPs’ Facebook Pages, the contest aimed to humanize the experiences of those living with HIV/AIDS through visual drawing. It encouraged individuals to express their thoughts on HIV/AIDS through visual art and had opportunities to participate in the WOrld AIDS Day event. This was a great way to engage the audience, bringing various perspectives on the importance of HIV awareness. A total of 52 submissions were received from talented contestants, each showcasing a wide range of perspectives and expressions on the subject. Of these, five winners were selected and honored with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and consolation prizes.
The winners’ visual arts (CPI/AIS)
The AIS Activity also hosted a Facebook profile campaign, encouraging the community to change their profile pictures in support of HIV awareness and World AIDS Day. Around 300 supporters joining the campaign, this initiative helped to increase visibility and foster solidarity. By showing support through a profile frame themed with a WAD message, the participants were able to amplify the awareness, reaching their networks and encouraging others to get involved.
To further engage the public, AIS produced and launched a short video clip featuring a prominent celebrity and key opinion leader (KOL). This standout piece of social media campaign provided a powerful visual message about HIV prevention, treatment, and stigma reduction. Vulnerable communities face significant challenges, including unequal access to healthcare, persistent stigma, and social inequities, leaving many without the essential support and medical care. The involvement of celebrities and KOLs amplified the message, reaching a broader audience and inspiring action. One KOL expressed, ”It’s an honor to represent the key population in this campaign, dedicated to reducing stigma and discrimination and fostering acceptance and care”.
The video reached 60.9k people and achieved 73.3k views together with the collaborative efforts of sharing and 1.4k views from cross posting of IPs’ Facebook page.
Video clip: Final version of WAD video clip_Nov 29, 2024.mp4
The collective efforts of the AIS Activity, implementing partners, all participants, and communities made this initiative a success. The social media campaigns raised awareness about HIV/AIDS, strengthened support for key populations, and empowered individuals to take action. The campaign helped people gain a deeper understanding of the “Take the Rights Path” theme and its relevance to HIV prevention and human rights. The success of this campaign is a testament to the power of social media in raising awareness and driving action. The AIS Activity has made significant strides toward breaking down stigma, increasing HIV knowledge, and inspiring individuals to take responsibility for their health. These efforts will have a lasting impact, helping to reduce stigma and motivating individuals to take the rights path in their fight against HIV/AIDS.
The HIV/TB AIS Agency, Information, and Services (HIV/TB AIS) Activity is a five-year project funded by the U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Global Accelerator to End Tuberculosis. The project will run from October 2021 to October 2026. The main objectives of the project are (i) to achieve Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic control in Burma by ensuring that 95 percent of people living with HIV are aware of their status, 95 percent of those identified as positive are on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95 percent of those on treatment are virally suppressed; and (ii) a Burma free from Tuberculosis (TB) by reaching every person with TB, curing those in need of treatment, and preventing the spread of disease and new infections.
