29 March 2008

Beijing, China: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Total (China) Investment Co., Ltd have signed an agreement to engage local volunteers to help support people living with HIV (PLHIV), as well as other highly vulnerable groups.

Total and UNDP will engage four Chinese national UNV volunteers, who will provide targeted technical assistance and build the outreach capacity of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working with vulnerable groups such as those with HIV/AIDS.

To promote the sustainable involvement of civil society in China's AIDS response, it is essential to understand the civil society sector, assess its capacities and weaknesses, and develop appropriate support mechanisms and tools to strengthen mulitsectoral collaboration with civil society organizations.

"The AIDS epidemic is unusual in its scope and magnitude, and by its very nature, affects the poorest and most marginalized in society. Therefore, this extraordinary agreement presents a concrete opportunity for private sector to support civil society organizations who work with those most directly affected by HIV and AIDS," said Renaud Meyer, UNDP Deputy Country Director.

"It also provides an opportunity to mobilize the creativity, solidarity and professional experience of the UNV volunteers and will also serve as an example of what a significant and largely untapped resource volunteerism can be in fighting HIV and AIDS."

Based on the needs of selected local civil society organizations and with support from UNDP and United Nations Volunteers (UNV), the UNV volunteers will provide strategic and related technical support in the following areas:

• Analyze and document local NGO business and management procedures to scale up sustainable service delivery practices and actively promote the role of PLHIV organizations in China’s overall AIDS response;
• Improve and implement marketing and outreach strategies to promote and enable PLHIV to speak effectively and openly in public settings on reducing stigma and discrimination;
• Develop volunteer recruitment and management systems for civil society organizations to better tap into the strength and passion of China’s youth to volunteer in organizations that address HIV among highly vulnerable populations.
• Provide community input and communication support on issues relating to civil society and PLHIV into UN supported HIV programmes.

"As a responsible corporation, we want to carry out actions which meet the needs of the community where we operate and are sustainable: combating HIV and AIDS is definitely one of them," Jacques de Boisséson, General Representative of Total in China, explained.  

"In China, we are happy to partner with UNDP, supporting this global fight against the epidemic at the local community level. Indeed, it is a long-term task for the coalition of government, civil society, agencies, companies, and individuals."

Civil society organizations play a key role in China AIDS response by providing basic services and assistance, form mutual support groups set up by members and peers within a community, draw attention to response challenges, reduce stigma and discrimination, and provide assistance for the marginalized and the vulnerable where public or private services cannot.

The initiative marks one of the first occasions UNV volunteers in China will serve directly in civil society organizations.  It seeks to illustrate the positive role the UN and private sector can jointly play in strengthening civil society by providing an avenue for motivated, skilled volunteers to contribute to China’s national AIDS response.  

Total in China has identified HIV and AIDS as a priority with three pillars: information, prevention, and non-discrimination. On 1 December 2007, Total launched a HIV and AIDS workplace policy throughout its subsidiaries in China. Together with the Beijing Municipality, Total in China has published a manual for HIV prevention and control, distributed in hotels and universities in Beijing.

Also in 2007, Total partnered with UNDP by displaying Yao Ming/Pu Cunxin 'We Are Friends' AIDS awareness posters in all Total-Sinochem gas stations in China.



For more information contact:

Edmund Settle, HIV/AIDS Programme Specialist, UNDP China
edmund.settle [at] undp.org or +86-10 8532-0775

For more information on United Nations Volunteers (UNV):

John Floretta, UNV Programme Manager, China
john.floretta [at] undp.org or +86-10 8532-0910