Abstract

Social mobilization to end AIDS using STAR (Societies Tackling AIDS through Rights) - a social change communication approach developed by ActionAid for mobilisation of most vulnerable communities to end stigma, discrimination, violence and advocacy for universal access to treatment. Applied in 12 countries across the globe over the past five years STAR is today accepted as a social change communication tool by UNAIDS and used by many other agencies for an effective response particularly to deal with the social and human rights aspects of the epidemic

C. Abraham

ActionAid, Theme HIV and AIDS, Johannesburg, South Africa

Issues: Poverty, injustice, gender inequality, unjust policies subject poor and excluded people to vulnerabilities, deprives them of their power to decisions, subjects them to violence and increases their vulnerability to HIV infection.
Description: Social mobilization process has been effectively initiated in 12 countries using a participatory approach developed by ActionAid known as 'STAR'. Social groups targeted include positive people , sex workers,migrant workers, IDU users, poor women and others. The process involves organizing social groups at village level, forming a circle of 25-30 persons. Circles conduct meetings with the help of a trained facilitator.
Members identify issues, discuss, link it up with macro issues and map out solutions. Inter circle meetings and intergenerational discussions are encouraged to deal with issues that go beyond a circle and which may require joint action. Through 1200 circles, we reach to more than 100,000 people , 50% of them are direct beneficiaries that have knowledge on HIV transmission and information on reproductive health mostly women. Changes seen are women have started demanding that men use condoms. Women Circles in India advocating for social entitlements like PDS and PLHA circles in African countries lobbied for ART supply centers to be closer to their community, identified OVCs and encouraged them to return to school and got Livelihood support from State.
Lessons learned: An effective participatory approach to community based HIV prevention, enabling people to access quality treatment care and support. Mobilization of positive people to claim their rights has brought about policy changes resulting in social entitlements. In countries where STAR is operational there is a greater acceptance of PLHIV within household and communities. The approach can be applied with different stakeholders, in diverse situations irrespective of the HIV and AIDS prevalence.
Next steps: Promote STAR globally and reach out to maximum countries and people.