TEAM WSL
On the occasion of World Aids Day today, we bring you the B-Town women who have worked extensively towards this cause and brought about changes in their own significant ways.
1.Nafisa Ali
The former Miss India has worked towards several causes, one of which has been HIV/AIDS. She has even started a home that cares for those affected from the deadly disease named Ashraya.
2.Nandita Das
This Delhi School of Social Work graduate dons multiple caps when it comes to working for those who are oppressed, or in need. The offbeat actress has vehemently campaigned for those affected with HIV/AIDS.
3.Shabana Azmi
The strong headed actress has been heavily involved in welfare work for very many years now. Not only has she fought against the injustice meted out to those with HIV/AIDS disease, she has even been an ambassador for HIV/AIDS program for SAARC regions.
4.Shilpa Shetty
It all started with the movie Phir Milenge where the gorgeous actress portrayed the role of an HIV positive woman. Since then, the issue has been close to Shilpa’s heart and in 2006, she participated and lent her support to a show by BBC World Service Trust Television to tackle the problem of HIV AIDS in our country.
5.Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
The former Miss World, and one of the top heroines in Bollywood was appointed as the International Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS, the joint UN program on HIV and AIDS in 2012. She has since, worked towards raising global awareness on protecting children from HIV infection and increasing access to treatments.
6.Preity Zinta
Just like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Preity Zinta too, had been appointed as the goodwill ambassador for the joint UN program on HIV and AIDS. She played a big role in promoting public awareness about the disease with a special focus on women and children and combating the discrimination that comes with the disease.
The Disease in India
While India does have a low prevalence of the disease, around 0.34 percent, when it comes to number of individuals affected, we come third in the world. Most of the transmission in our country happens through sexual transmission (85.6%) and nearly 5% is because of the parent to child transmission. Women account for 40% of the affected population.
With so much stigma attached to the disease, we need public figures who can come out and stand and fight for those affected. Kudos to these women!
