Websites that allow people to lobby for improved funding for HIV treatment and prevention are the latest tool in the campaign for treatment access, with British and international networks now offering online resources to people who want to support their campaigns.
The Stop AIDS Campaign, an alliance of 15 development and HIV/AIDS groups based in the UK, was launched in November 2001, and is offering supporters the opportunity to send an e-postcard to Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown in the run-up to the Budget next month. Supporters can call on Mr Brown to increase UK support for “global HIV and AIDS” fivefold, in line with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s call at the June 2001 UN Summit on HIV/AIDS.
The Massive Effort campaign is an international network pledged to raise awareness of the need for increased funding to combat HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases. Partners include WHO, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, TB Alert and the International Union against TB and Lung Disease.
The Massive Effort campaign promises to use state-of-the art advocacy, communication and marketing strategies to create and sustain an effective global movement committed to improving the health of the world’s poorest people. The site offers opportunities to donate money to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and text that can be downloaded to form the basis of personal letters to legislators. The site links together a variety of existing advocacy campaigns including Roll Back Malaria and World TB Day and also offers individuals the opportunity to sign-up to be alerted when support is needed.