People's Deputies against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Advocacy action within the walls of Verkhovna Rada
December 1 is World AIDS/HIV Day. Traditionally, on this day in parliament,People’s Deputies wear red ribbons as a sign of hope for a future without AIDS.
However, such actions are mostly nominal. We had to transformthe annual formal initiative into an advocacy project. Here's how we did it.
In 2021, more than 12 thousand people were diagnosed with HIV in Ukraine.
4 thousand of them already have a fatal diagnosis — AIDS. It develops 8-9 years after being infected if a person does not take ART. AIDS causes irreversible destructive changes that can’t be cured.
Most patients claimed that they did not know their HIV status because they had never been tested.
Early testing and further medication could have saved their lives.
Concept of the project
We decided to involve Members of the Ukrainian Parliament in promoting HIV testing.
Each of them has their own audience and can share information with it on how to get tested for HIV anonymously and for free.
However, how do we draw their attention to the project, when every day they receive dozens of appeal letters? How do we synchronise so that materials are released on the same day?
Oddly enough, a printed postcard did the trick. But with a bit of interactivity to it.
People's Deputies usually receive ribbons with a pin at the entrance to the meeting room. We replaced it with a sticker that, unlike a pin, does not damage the clothes. You could put it not only on clothes but on a phone, laptop, or notebook.
In the second part, we briefly described the problem and explained what can be done to solve it. More than 4 thousand people would have had a chance to live a full life with the help of ART if they knew their HIV status earlier.
Therefore, we asked MPs to make a post on their social media with a call to get tested for HIV.
To do this, they had to simply scan the qr-code and copy a text to their page.
Before the meeting, each deputy had a small A5 postcard on their table. It should be noted that there were no logos on it. After all, it is because of logos that Members of Parliament perceive such materials as an advertisement rather than a social initiative.
Posts visuals
A curveball
However, we did not expect that President Volodymyr Zelensky would visit the Verkhovna Rada on December 1. Our newsmaking was in jeopardy. The President's speech to the People's Deputies would have completely diverted attention from our action.
But Volodymyr Zelensky also supported the red ribbon flash mob mentioning the HIV/AIDS Day in his speech.
On this day, there were 48 mentions from People’s Deputies of #get_tested_early in social networks.
The project was implemented with the support of People’s Deputy of Ukraine Lada Bulakh
Results
≈ 70
deputies put a sticker on
48
#get_tested_early publications
145 thousand
total posts coverage
10 $
total budget