Presentation by Abdul Waheed Khan Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information

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Media reversing the progression of HIV and
AIDS The Ugly, the Bad and the Good
Presentation by Abdul Waheed KhanAssistant
Director-General for Communication and
Information UNESCO AIBD International Seminar
on Media Partnership to combat HIV and AIDS
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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS
Good media

• Professional standards, sensitive to human
  rights
• Credible reporting, proper understanding and
  research
• Editorially objective and independent
• Public service oriented

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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS

• Media capacity challenges

• Professional, editorially independent standards
• Basic reporting, investigative and ICT skills
• Deep understanding about HIV and AIDS
• Appreciation of the role of the media

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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS

• HIV and human rights

• Sexual violence and coercion of women
• Harmful beliefs and abuses
• Violating rights to information

In sub-Saharan Africa, women make up almost 60
of adults living with HIV
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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS
The Behaviour Challenge

• Evidenced information influences change
• Social and behavioral change
• Review of media professional and ethical
  standards in support of human rights

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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS
UNESCO's strategy for responding to HIV and AIDS

• Advocacy and support for informed policies and
  practices
• Policy and Programmatic Guidance
• Technical Support and Capacity Enhancement
• Coordination and Harmonisation
• Monitoring, Assessing and Evaluating Progress

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UNESCO CI Sector responding to HIV and AIDS
Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS

• Supporting universal human rights
• Freedom of speech and press
• Respect for diversity
• Main thematic areas of work include
• Capacity-building of key stakeholders
• Fostering and building partnerships

Empowering people through the free flow of ideas
by word and image, and by access to information
and knowledge.
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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS
UNESCO CI Sector responding to HIV and AIDS

• Working with and through
• media organizations
• media training institutions
• civil society groups
• people living with HIV and affected by AIDS
• national AIDS authorities

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Communications on HIV and AIDS

• Rights-based
• Gender-responsive
• Age-specific
• Culturally appropriate and using
  non-discriminatory and appropriate language and
  audio-visual content
• Evidence-informed and scientifically accurate
• Participatory, in particular involving people
  with HIV and other key populations vulnerable to
  the epidemic

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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS

• The Global Network of Young
• TV Producers on HIV and AIDS
• improve professional competence of young
  television producers reporting on HIV and AIDS
• mobilize long-term commitment of regional and
  sub-regional broadcasting and media training
  organizations
• Africa - Asia Pacific - Latin America and the
  Caribbean - Europe

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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS
All media professionals must know
HIV is transmitted through the exchange of bodily
fluids

• Unprotected sexual contact
• Exposure to infected blood
• Transmission from a pregnant mother with HIV
  infection to her child

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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS
Prerequisite for good media reporting also apply
to HIV and AIDS media reports
Basic journalism and ICT skills Human rights
considerations Sensitive to norms and
beliefs Ability to follow developments
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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS

• What can media organizations do?
• Staff awareness period and discussion
• Establish standard reporting guidelines and style
  usage
• Work place procedures

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Media reversing the progression of HIV and AIDS

• Thank you for your attention.