South Asian Media Leaders Regional Meeting on HIV and AIDS

Putting Words into Action


On 7 December 2005, media leaders from across South Asia gathered in Bangkok, Thailand to discuss the role of media in the response to HIV/AIDS and examine the challenges and opportunities facing media leaders as they work towards increasing the frequency and improving the quality of news reporting and programming on HIV/AIDS. The 17 participants from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan included owners, managers and editors

of major national and regional television, radio and print outlets. This regional meeting followed national level meetings in each of these countries in which a total of more than 100 media leaders participated in developing concrete plans of action on HIV/AIDS-related media coverage. Representatives from these country level meetings were selected to take part in the meeting in Bangkok and were joined by representatives of UNAIDS, the Asia Pacific Leadership Forum (APLF), the POLICY Project and Internews Network.

Internews Network coordinated this event in cooperation with APLF and UNAIDS along with support from the POLICY Project and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Community and Population Development Association Director Senator Mechai Viravaidya delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the responsibility of the news media and regional governments to keep HIV/AIDS high on political and social agendas.

As a result of the regional meeting, the participants agreed on a Regional Action Plan for media on HIV/AIDS and committed to

Giving more air time and print space to the coverage of HIV/AIDS issues;

  • Communicating and broadcasting local voices; and sharing programming concepts, ideas and information;
  • Formation of national media forums on HIV/AIDS
  • And the creation of an internet based platform that would enable an exchange of ideas and concepts.

For more information, please contact

APLF
UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and Pacific
9 th Floor, A-Block, United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue , Pranakorn
Bangkok 10200
Thailand
Email: aplf@aplfaids.com