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AIDS Communication

This report from Panos outlines the findings from research done on the role of communications in social mobilisation around HIV, in South Africa, Namibia and Brazil. Based on oral testimony from members of actions groups campaigning on HIV issues, it highlights the importance of communication at a personal, interpersonal and public policy level for such groups. The authors argue that small, informal community-based HIV groups have an important role to play in responding to the immediate needs and concerns of their members. Such groups enhance the visibility of people living with HIV and can provide a platform for challenging government and other policymakers. However, strong movements can also dominate the debate and create a polarisation between civil society and government. People living with HIV need additional communication skills to enable more accurate and ethical coverage of HIV in the media.

The report recommends greater support for capacity development among members of HIV social movements to facilitate greater communication. There is a need to develop better links between the members of these movements and the media, and to provide media professionals with better guidance on how to cover HIV issues. The report also recommends promoting a greater diversity of spaces for carrying on debates about HIV issues, and encouraging a more diverse range of voices to participate in these debates.

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