On May 25, 2007, Grameenphone embarked upon a CSR partnership with UNAIDS, a joint venture of the United Nations family, to launch the Asia Pacific Leadership Campaign on HIV and AIDS in Bangladesh, to address issues in the country regarding the global epidemic.
The initiative involves high-level leaders from different sectors of the country, including governance, business, media and women, and to engage them in helping to create an enabling environment in support of action on HIV and AIDS as per the global directive from the UN. A major focus of the initiative is to feature these leaders in the media as high profile advocates for the necessary policy reforms.
Under the terms of the MOU, Grameenphone will work jointly with UNAIDS in their advocacy campaign to create awareness about HIV and AIDS and generate greater empathy for the afflicted. The organizations will also jointly fund all communication campaigns undertaken nationwide for the advocacy initiative.
Erik Aas, Managing Director of Grameenphone and J.V.R. Prasad Rao, UNAIDS Director for Regional Support Team, signed MoU on behalf of their respective organizations.
Major Gen. Dr. A.S.M. Matiur Rahman (retd.), Advisor, Ministry of Health & Family Affairs, Water Resources and Religious Affairs, Government of Bangladesh was present at the ceremony as the Chief Guest while Ms. Ingebjørg Støfring, Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh was present as the Special Guest. Also present were Pronchai Suchitta, Resident Representative of UNFPA, Dr. S.M. Mustafa Anowar, Line Director of the National AIDS/STI Program and Kafil H.S. Muyeed, Director of the New Business Division of Grameenphone. The Vice President of Telenor Asia, Per Erik Hylland, was also present at the occasion. Telenor is the major shareholder of Grameenphone.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Erik Aas said that "This partnership we sign today is a much needed symbiosis between business and social institutions. I expect that we will be seeing a lot of these kinds of associations in the days to come."
UNAIDS is a joint initiative of the United Nations which brings together the efforts and resources of ten UN agencies i.e. UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO, and the World Bank to help prevent new HIV infections, care for those already infected, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic. UNAIDS aims to help mount and support an expanded response - one that engages the efforts of many sectors and partners from the Government and the civil society.
The Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLF) is a ground-breaking advocacy initiative, organized jointly by the aforementioned ten UN agencies to promote enhanced leadership roles in response to HIV and AIDS.
The six Leaders (UNAIDS Ambassadors) of the campaign in Bangladesh are Advisor for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Water Resources and Religious Affairs, Major General (rtd) Dr. A S M Matiur Rahman, Runa Laila and Alamgir (cultural personalities), Shykh Seraj (media personality and agriculture development expert), Bibi Russell (fashion icon and activist), and Kafil H.S. Muyeed (Director, New Business Division, Grameenphone Ltd).
With prevalence rate of less than 1% HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh, this may not look like a major threat. However, with a population of over 140 million, a mere 1% rise would mean an addition of more than a million to the numbers. The first case of HIV in Bangladesh was detected in 1989. According to a 2004 UN study, HIV infections have tripled in the last six years. UNAIDS estimated that 13,000 adults and children were living with HIV at the end of 2002 in Bangladesh.
As a responsible corporate citizen of the country, Grameenphone has always undertaken and sponsored projects that generate greater good for the society. In this advocacy initiative too, Grameenphone will provide necessary support to execute the awareness and advocacy campaign.
The UNAIDS partnership is the latest venture of Grameenphone in the health sector of Bangladesh. It could be stated that Grameenphone has recently signed an agreement with NGO Service Delivery Program (NSDP) of USAID to launch a nationwide project called "Safe Motherhood and Infant Care." Besides, GP has made long-term commitment to the Bangladesh Thalassaemia Hospital, to raise awareness and organize blood donation drives periodically throughout the country for the patients. Other recent GP health initiatives include organizing eye camps and awareness drives for vaccination programs on National Immunization Day.

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