An emerging concensus

While these approaches can complement one another and can be understood as different but necessary ingredients for a successful response to HIV and AIDS, some are often prioritised over others. The need to demonstrate impact in short time spans or to prove cost effectiveness may bias the choice of approaches in favour of those that bring quick results, over those which address the driving causes of AIDS. In addition, the idea that lack of information and understanding is the key communication challenge still persists for many of those responsible for shaping the AIDS response. Communication that attempts to address the AIDS epidemic solely through information and education can be seen as politically sanitising the issue. By focusing on the supposed lack of knowledge and skills among target audiences, such an approach masks larger systems of power, gender and inequality that impact on the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

There is a growing consensus among communication practitioners on the principles which should underpin AIDS communication work. These principles emphasise the need to mainstream a variety of complementary approaches. There is increasing agreement that AIDS communications must not only promote the knowledge and skills of individuals, but must also address the social, cultural, political and gender aspects of HIV and AIDS