On the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) proudly announced the 25 winners of the Red Ribbon Award 2008.

Following a call for nominations launched on World AIDS Day 2007 from Mexico City, Geneva, New York and Colombo, over 550 nominations were received from 147 countries across the globe. A Technical Review Committee of experts in the community response to HIV selected 25 community-based organizations demonstrating remarkable efforts in terms of innovation, impact, sustainability, strategic partnerships, gender sensitivity and social inclusion. The innovative and sustainable approaches taken by the 25 winning organizations to provide HIV prevention, care, treatment and support to people living with HIV give inspiring evidence that effective community leadership is an essential component in the response to the global epidemic.

«We have brilliant examples of community action and leadership across the globe. However, most of them are unheard and unsung. The Red Ribbon Award is a way to recognize and honor them," said Jeffrey O’Malley, Director of UNDP’s HIV/AIDS Practice.

For the first time a Russian regional non governmental organization — «Phoenix PLUS» Oryol has received the «Red Ribbon» award.

The «Red Ribbon» award is conferred biennially in leadership in the areas of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. The award will be conferred at the 17th International Conference in Mexico City in August 2008.

«Phoenix PLUS» was created by people living with HIV in 2006. It deals with implementation of social support programmes for people living with HIV and their relatives. It directly supports 834 people in Oryol region. Since April 2008 one of the areas of focus of «Phoenix PLUS» is «Development of regional potential and network collaboration for advocacy of reproductive rights of women living with HIV." Under the auspices of the project such services as accompanying HIV+ pregnant women to medical and social institutions, providing counseling and running peer support groups are provided. Activists of this organization work closely with other organizations of the Central Federal Okrug of Russia.

Since April 2008 one of the areas of focus of «Phoenix PLUS» is «Development of regional potential and network collaboration for advocacy of reproductive rights of women living with HIV." Under the auspices of the project such services as accompanying HIV+ pregnant women to medical and social institutions, providing counseling and running peer support groups are provided.

Representatives of „Phoenix PLUS“ will share their experience at the 17th AIDS Conference in Mexico.

Winning the „Red Ribbon“ award is a significant event in the HIV/AIDS response in Russia and in the development of the non-profit sector.

Information on the work of „Phoenix PLUS“ is available at http://www.orelaids.ru

Information on the " Red Ribbon» award is available at http://www.redribbonaward.org