Sharing different forms of HIV/AIDS IEC materials within the region

Facilitators present a Cambodia’s T-shirt with picture and massage on HIV and AIDS as an IEC example to the participants at the workshop in Bangkok.

By Chhay Sophal

People Living with HIV (PLHIV), HIV/AIDS workers and media people have recently met in Bangkok, Thailand, to share experiences, lessons learned, and best practice methods when utilizing Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials, in the context of strengthening HIV and AIDS approaches, towards gaining Universal Access in the region. The meeting entitled “Working Together: IEC Workshop” was hosted by AIDS ACCESS Foundation on 21-23 May. Some 30 people from seven countries -- Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam -- attended the workshop. Among the attendees there was one KHANA representative, and two representatives from KHANA’s implementing partners, SEADO and CPN+. Workshop facilitator Waranuch Chinvarasopak emphasized that the gathering in Bangkok would allow for an IEC network to be established and a framework provided to encourage each country to establish a national network. “During the three day workshop, we will be sharing our goals and visions on HIV and AIDS regarding to the prevention of new infections, promoting quality of life of PLHIV by reducing stigma and discrimination, and increasing access to quality care and treatment,” Chinvarasopak said. IEC is extremely important for initiating and supporting social and behavioral changes. IEC materials can increase HIV/AIDS awareness, knowledge and education, motivate change, and to sustain behavior changes, she added.
Before displaying the country specific HIV/AIDS IEC materials at the workshop, the participants brainstormed their ideas and reached an understanding of the commonalities shared between each country, when responding to HIV and AIDS, such as; acceptance, understanding, participation, support, living and working together, love, care, prevention, providing information, decreasing the infection and misinformation, empowerment, freedom, rights, accessing to treatment for all, and harmony.
The participants uncovered areas which require further attention, when designing, developing and delivering IEC materials. It was also discussed which areas should be up-scaled, due to the effectiveness of such materials and what materials/ methods should be discontinued. A strong focus was taken on the IEC development process, particularly; “Who is the target audience who do the IEC materials target?”, “What is the rational behind it why are such IEC materials needed?”, “What is the key message/s and what is the desirable outcome of the IEC materials (change/action)?”, and “ What approach or tone that will be used to deliver the IEC material?”. As well as this, the unexpected impacts or negative results of IEC materials on cultural norms of each country, was also discussed. The importance of media was highlighted, as media can potentially play a key role when outreaching to the public. The meeting urged media outlets and practitioners to report news stories on HIV and AIDS and other related issues without sensationalism to avoid negative consequences.
The workshop also discussed gender and HIV and AIDS and ended with some recommendations and suggestions on how to establish both a national and regional network for IEC network and how to effectively design and develop of IEC materials and BCC programmes.