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HAITI WINS 2012 RED RIBBON AWARD

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• Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 August 2012 20:31
• Published on Tuesday, 07 August 2012 20:31
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The Help from Myanmar and Fondation SEROvie of Haiti won the Red Ribbon Award (RRA) for prevention of sexual transmission. The representative from SEROvie, speaking on behalf of the awardees called for a reduction in stigma and discrimination among minorities, especially sexual minorities.
    The RRA is the world's leading award on innovative and outstanding community work in the AIDS response. The RRA Special Session celebrated the winners of the 2012 Awards through a combination of inspiring talks by exceptional global personalities, the presentation of the awards and remarks from the winners themselves. This high profile event showcased exceptional community-based responses to AIDS from around the world.  
    Michel Sidibé,  UNAIDS Executive Director in his address said though these may be the   “best and worst of times” the awards are a moment of hope in which” the fighters and creators of social dynamic that continue  to make change happen” are celebrated. He noted that the people at the frontline are actors and not passive beneficiaries but they are often invisible at the community level. They form that critical interface between the beneficiaries and resources and the entire AIDS community is grateful for their hard work.  While all the tools are present now to fight the disease, the need fight prejudice, stigma, discrimination, exclusion and criminalization are still very present. Sidibe said “the last miles will be travelled only when we give safe space to people who are hiding themselves so they can come out and take part in our service delivery system”.