With the theme ‘Hands up for HIV prevention’, World AIDS Day 2016 focuses on innovative strategies to stop the spread of HIV among vulnerable populations. A robust approach to HIV prevention is essential if Cambodia is to become the first country in the region to eliminate HIV transmission by 2025. As well as facilitating care and treatment for diagnosed PLHIV, AUA is focused on developing prevention strategies that respond to the needs of our community.

Staff in Phnom Penh joined UNAIDS’ Hands up for #HIVprevention campaign by sharing different activities and ideas related to HIV prevention in Cambodia. The photos appeared on AUA’s Facebook page throughout the month of November.

Some staff chose to highlight practical aspects of prevention, such as affordable ARV treatment, Positive Prevention education, PMTCT, and access to finger-prick testing. Other staff called for equal rights and social inclusion for PLHIV and key populations, emphasizing the importance of AUA’s work in anti-stigma and discrimination advocacy.

Cooperation and community leadership also featured alongside mutual support and empowerment – four key elements of a coordinated and sustainable approach to HIV prevention. Staff also highlighted the importance of teamwork, which underpins AUA’s role in Cambodia’s Group of Champions.

View all AUA staff photos taken for World AIDS Day 2016 here.