The New Nation - Internet Edition

Grameenphone embarked upon a CSR partnership with UNAIDS, a joint venture of the United Nations family, to build an AIDS-free Bangladesh through the Asia Pacific Leadership Forum (APLF).

APLF is part of the 'World AIDS Campaign with Leaders', which aims to create an enabling environment in support of policy action on HIV and AIDS. The initiatives involve eminent leaders of Bangladesh from different arenas, namely the government, media, development, fashion, culture, and corporate.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between UNAIDS and Grameenphone on June 22 in this regard.

Under the terms of the MoU, Grameenphone will work jointly with UNAIDS in its advocacy campaign to create awareness about HIV and AIDS to create a non-discriminatory and enabling environment for HIV and AIDS-affected individuals at the workplace and in the wider community. Syed Yamin Bakht, Director, Public Relations Division, and Dan Odallo, Country Coordinator of UNAIDS in Bangladesh signed the memorandum of understanding in the city on June 22 last.

Shuvashish Priya Barua, Head of CSR, Grameenphone and Ms Lazeena Muna, Social Mobilization and Partnership Adviser, UNAIDS were also present on the occasion.

This is the second time that Grameenphone is undertaking a campaign like this. Last year, Grameenphone carried out a mass media campaign from mid-November leading up to the World AIDS Day which included television commercials, press advertisements, radio announcements and billboards.

The campaign highlighted messages from the six APLF members with an objective to raise awareness and encourage an open and candid social dialogue on this crucial issue. A direct mail was also sent to corporate houses and relevant development agencies with a message from Anders Jensen, CEO, Grameenphone, and the APLF Champions.

With an estimated prevalence of less than 1 per cent, AIDS may not look like a major threat. However, with a population of nearly 150 million, an increase of just 1 per cent in the rate of infection among the adult population in Bangladesh would mean more than a million additional AIDS patients ea-ch-year. According to a 2004 UN study, HIV infections have tripled in the last six years.

One of the eight Millennium Development Goals for Bangladesh is to halt the spread of HIV and AIDS by 2015 and Grameenphone is committed to work closely with Bangladesh government and concerned development agencies to achieve that target.