Photo-- Victoria Beckham Appointed Goodwill Ambassador of UNAIDS

Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS (left) and new International Goodwill Ambassador, British fashion designer & former Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham

                   The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) on Friday, annouced the appointment of  leading fashion designer, Victoria Beckham as its International Goodwill Ambassador.

                     Bechkam’s appointment was made by the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibe while briefing journalists at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Sidibe said: “I dream of a generation free of HIV and I know that Beckham’s support will help us to achieve this shared goal.

“In her role as an ambassador for UNAIDS, Beckham will work towards ensuring that all children are born free from HIV and that women who are living with and infected by HIV, have access to medicare.

“Her creativity, innovation and outreach will amplify our efforts and bring us one important step closer towards ending the AIDS epidemic.”

Responding, Beckham said: “This is the beginning of an important journey for me. As a woman and mother, I have a responsibility to support other women.

“I am proud and honoured to be working with UNAIDS in this new role to help raise resources and awareness to support and empower women and children affected by HIV.

“Babies should not be born with HIV.”

UNAIDS is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

The mission of UNAIDS is to lead, strengthen and support an expanded response to HIV and AIDS that includes preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support to those already living with the virus, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV and alleviating the impact of the epidemic.

UNAIDS seeks to prevent the HIV/AIDS epidemic from becoming a severe pandemic.

It has five goals namely: Leadership and advocacy for effective action on the epidemic; strategic information and technical support to guide efforts against AIDS worldwide  and tracking, monitoring and evaluation of the epidemic and of responses to it.

Others are civil society engagement and the development of strategic partnerships and mobilization of resources to support an effective response.

Photo Credit: UN.org