Support people living with HIV in NZ this World AIDs Day

MEDIA RELEASE: 21 NOVEMBER 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Take action to support people living with HIV in New Zealand this World AIDS Day

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation and the organisations representing people living with HIV (Body Positive, Positive Women and INA) are asking Kiwis to give generously this World AIDS Day to help raise awareness of the stigma people with HIV still face daily.

Internationally World AIDS Day has been observed on 1 December since 1988.

On Friday 28 November a dedicated team, from flamboyant drag queens to street collectors, will raise money to support the more than 2000 people living with HIV in this country.

The theme for World AIDS Day is zero HIV discrimination. The stigma around HIV causes some people to avoid being tested even when they have been at risk through unsafe sex. It can cause people living with HIV to be shunned by friends and family and treated very badly by some employers and professionals.

At least three quarters of New Zealanders know how HIV can and cannot be transmitted, according to Colmar Brunton research commissioned by NZAF this year. Yet people surveyed were uncomfortable sharing a drinking glass or living with a person living with HIV.

“When you dig into the detail a disturbing picture emerges. We found that while people had good knowledge about HIV this didn’t correspond to how they acted towards people living with the virus. For example while 80% were correct in saying you can’t get HIV by sharing food 50% were uncomfortable having food prepared by someone with HIV, 96% said correctly that you can’t get HIV by hugging but 52% wouldn’t like a child to play with another child who had HIV,” says Shaun Robinson, Executive Director, NZAF.

An anti-stigma campaign launch was attended by over a 100 people on 1 November. A video of people with HIV sharing their stories, produced by NZAF in collaboration with Positive Women, has had more than 1300 views on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqZKGjGlEp0

Street collectors will be accepting donations nationwide throughout the day (28 November). Auckland’s collection will culminate in the annual World AIDS Day “pub run” from Britomart and the Viaduct to Ponsonby Rd between 5 and 7pm. Led by high profile drag personalities, Miss Ribena and Tess Tickle, and supported by the Love Your Condom promo boys, the run is always colourful fun for a good cause.

Proceeds support the Wellness Fund for people living with HIV as well as NZAF’s many nationwide services and programmes. Donations can also be made online at www.worldaidsday.org.nz

ENDS

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