United Arab Emirates

Police boost AIDS campaign in Dubai

© UNICEF 2006

UNICEF Representative June Kunugi joins thousands of people in the streets of Dubai to launch the UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS campaign.

By John Allison

NEW YORK, USA, 20 February, 2006 – With help from the police, UNITE FOR CHILDREN  UNITE AGAINST AIDS has taken to the streets of Dubai.

More than 400 police vehicles including cars, motorcycles, ambulances and even helicopters have been decorated with yellow stickers advertising the campaign slogan.

UNITE FOR CHILDREN  UNITE AGAINST AIDS has received unprecedented support from the government, the private sector, religious leaders and the media in Dubai, an important cross-roads in the Middle East.

The campaign was launched by UNICEF and Dubai Police in partnership with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Social Charity on February 5. The aim is to focus on raising awareness about the disease among children and young people to prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS.

© UNICEF 2006

Over 400 police vehicles were decorated with the yellow campaign stickers.

After the launch, some 3,000 children joined adults in a march through the streets of Dubai at what was one of the most massive launches yet.

Since it was kicked off at the United Nations in New York on October 25, 2005, the UNITE FOR CHILDREN  UNITE AGAINST AIDS campaign has been launched in more than 40 countries around the world.
 
The launch in Dubai was the 11th in the Middle East and North Africa region, and its success was due in large part to the lessons learned from the launches that preceded it, including those in Algeria, Djibouti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, Syria, and Tunisia.

As part of the campaign, Dubai Police have dedicated a page on their website to facts about HIV/AIDS and are promoting the goals of the campaign: paediatric treatment, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, prevention of infection among adolescents and young people, and protection and support for children infected with AIDS.

The campaign will continue to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS in Dubai with mobile exhibits and information booths in shopping malls, police helicopter flights, and ongoing media coverage.

Information provided by George Ionita.