Born HIV Free campaign engages 12 million people
22 June 2010
Vienna, 22 July 2010 – More than 12 million people have engaged with the Born HIV Free campaign in the two months since its launch by watching campaign films, spreading the campaign message or signing the petition, the Global Fund announced today.
However, The Global Fund’s Executive Director Prof. Michel Kazatchkine, voiced concern that while these numbers are impressive, millions more still need to show their support in order to ensure that political leaders take notice of the campaign and that we reach the goal of ending mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2015
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, The Global Fund’s Ambassador, said, “As the initiator of the Born HIV Free campaign, it was my hope from the beginning that we would be able to inspire millions of people to support The Global Fund so we can finally put an end to the terrible injustice of mother-to-child HIV transmission when we have the medical means and expertise to prevent it.”
Launched on 19 May and continuing until 5 October, when governments will meet to determine their levels of financial support to The Global Fund for the coming three years, the multi-media campaign aims to put an end to mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015.
“We ask people to sign the wall of support on the Born HIV Free website, share videos, and write and feature materials in their own blogs and websites,” said Prof. Kazatchkine at the 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna. “We want to show our political leaders who face difficult budget choices that public opinion is in favor of continuing to invest to achieve global health goals.”
Transmission of HIV from mothers to their children has been nearly eliminated in Europe, North America and other industrialized parts of the world. In contrast, in developing countries, 430,000 children are born with HIV every year - that is well over 1,000 every day.
“We now need even more people to tell their governments that they care and that without the necessary funds, this and many other goals in global health will not be reached,” said Prof. Kazatchkine.
The campaign uses various internet-based and social media platforms, including a Born HIV Free YouTube channel - http://www.youtube.com/BornHIVFree - that has attracted more than 11 million unique visitors since its launch. The site contains an array of creative materials ranging from exciting animations and films to the pioneering YouTube streaming of a European rock concert with last month’s broadcast of Paul McCartney’s “Hard Rock Calling“.
The campaign also has its own website - www.bornhivfree.org - as well as country-specific Born HIV Free Facebook and Twitter pages. Additionally, there is an online boutique with spreadshirt featuring products with the Born HIV Free campaign logo.
Designed to work across various social and traditional media platforms, the campaign, conceived and co-produced by Julien Civange with The Global Fund, brings together several major companies who have joined up as official partners in support of Born HIV Free: Google, JC Decaux, Jean Paul Gaultier, MSN, Orange, Tiffany & Co. and YouTube.
Nearly 100 media organizations are supporting the campaign, including Euronews and CNBC, which are broadcasting the videos produced.
In order for the campaign to be effective and to make it possible to realize the goal of ending mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2015 we need you to spread the word about the Born HIV Free campaign.