Biennial global award celebrates outstanding community leadership and action on AIDS

Twenty-five community-based organisations representing 17 countries across the globe have won the 2010 Red Ribbon Award, UNDP announced today.

The Red Ribbon Award, named after the global symbol in the movement to address AIDS, is a joint effort of the UNAIDS family.  The award recognizes outstanding community organisations for their work in reducing the spread and impact of AIDS.

"Grassroots and community based organizations are at the heart of the global response to AIDS," said UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management & External Relations Jan Beagle, "UNAIDS is proud to celebrate and honor these groups who have mobilized themselves to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in their communities with energy, passion, and compassion. The red ribbon award winners give a resounding voice to the voiceless."

Each of the winning organizations receives a cash award and international recognition for their innovation and leadership in responding to the AIDS epidemic.  The organizations are invited to participate in the XVIII International AIDS Conference held in Vienna next week where they will be guests of honour at a formal Award Ceremony and will host a forum for dialogue and exchange between policy makers and community representatives.

"Communities really hold the key to finding solutions to their own problems," Dr. Helene Gayle, President and CEO of CARE, and a member of this year's jury panel.  "So while those of us with a lot of outside expertise may know the theories, community organizations are best suited to reach those most in need when it comes to applying them."

Out of 720 nominations from over 100 countries, the 25 winners were judged to have demonstrated the most remarkable efforts in terms of innovation, impact, sustainability, strategic partnerships, gender sensitivity and social inclusion.  The winners were selected by a Technical Review Committee of civil society representatives who are experts in the community response to HIV.

"These organizations clearly demonstrate that effective responses to the epidemic require the full participation of front-line, community-based groups.  Community groups recognize that AIDS is one of many issues that are tied together.  They understand that AIDS requires an exceptional response but they also understand that you need to link AIDS to broader issues of health, development and justice to be effective," said Jeffrey O'Malley, Director of the HIV/AIDS Practice at UNDP.