FIMIZORE has been awarded the prestigious UNAIDS Red Ribbon in recognition of their outstanding community leadership and action on AIDS, together with four other organisations.
The five organisations are:
- Association de Lutte contre le Sida (ALCS) – Morocco who have advocated for the human rights of people living with HIV since 1988 and achieved a variety of policy and programmatic successes including providing access to antiretrovirals, increased HIV awareness and voluntary counseling and testing.
- FIMIZORE (“Organization for the rights of all”) – Madagascar works to reduce the vulnerability of sex workers to HIV, sexually transmitted infections and gender-based violence.
- Fortaleciendo la Diversidad – Mexico focuses on improving the quality of life, health and acceptance of transgender populations and sex workers while providing HIV prevention services such as facilitating access to voluntary testing and monthly condom distribution in San Luis.
- Mama’s Club – Uganda is a community-based organization working to empower HIV positive mothers by providing psychosocial peer to peer support, prevention literacy, income generating skills, and mentor training for young mothers.
- Promoteurs Objectifs Zéro Sida (POZ) – Haiti operates from five sites to offer guidance, counseling and support to over 2,000 people living with HIV and collaborates with religious leaders and the media to shape the Haitian response to AIDS
“We are absolutely delighted that the outstanding work being done by these community-orientated organisations has been recognised by the international community,” said Abdelkader Bacha, Associate Director of Global Alliance Services.
In total 25 winners were announced from over 500 nominations from 147 countries across the globe.
According to the judges the organisations had demonstrated remarkable efforts in innovation, impact, sustainability, strategic partnerships, gender sensitivity and social inclusion.
“We have brilliant examples of community action and leadership across the globe. However, most of them are unheard and unsung. The Red Ribbon Award is a way to recognise and honour them,” said Jeffrey O’Malley, Director of UNDP’s HIV/AIDS Practice and founding Executive Director of the Alliance from 1993-2004.
POZ works in Haiti, a country with the highest HIV prevalence rate in Latin America and the Caribbean region
“We would like to thank all of you for your contribution to this success… thank you for your support and for your continuing to encourage us to always strive to do our best for our community,” said Dr Marie Mercy Zevallos from POZ.
Fortaleciendo la Diversidad (FID) is a community-based organisation of transgenders in Mexico.
Cesar Coria, who works with FID and is the Life with Dignity programme coordinator said, “…[this] win is a significant achievement as the group was formed as part of Life with Dignity and has made amazing progress. In just three years, FID have been able to legally establish themselves as an organisation, build a strong relationship with the local police and … become active members of the State HIV/AIDS Council. This has also led to greater levels of visibility and acceptance of transgenders, who until recently were not recognised by any authority.”
Balou Chabat, FIMIZORE’s President said, “I am delighted to know that our network has been selected to receive this award. This means that we have produced good results that are recognised by the international community.”
FIMIZORE in Madagascar is a network of sex worker associations working with vulnerable groups, particularly with male and female sex workers to prevent HIV and STI infection. FIMIZORE works to promote human rights and address stigma and discrimination and unfair treatment of vulnerable groups.
In Uganda, Mama’s Club is working with young mothers who are living with HIV as well as working in partnership with positive men’s groups to create awareness in communities about safe motherhood and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT).
“It’s a great honour for all of us who have played a role in this Club to know that such work done by a group of dedicated grassroots positive mothers could be appreciated in such a way and we thank all those who nominated the Club for this award,” said Lydia Mungherera founder and chairperson of Mama’s Club.
Each organisation will receive $5,000 and will be invited to the forthcoming International AIDS conference in Mexico to receive their awards at the Red Ribbon event. Here the top five winners of the 25 will be announced. These organisations will receive a further $15,000.
From http://www.aidsalliance.org/sw55084.asp
