Scrutinize campaign wins AfriComNet Award

The AfriComNet annual awards aim to recognise outstanding contributions made by individuals or organisations to strategic HIV/AIDS communication, encourage innovation and quality in strategic communication, enhance appreciation of strategic communication as a necessary tool for effective health and development programmes, and acknowledge programmes, tools and productions that advance strategic communication and can be adapted and applied elsewhere.

Multimedia campaign

Scrutinize is a national HIV prevention campaign designed to reach young people aged 16-24 years. The campaign combines mass media, through a series of animated TV advertisements, or "animerts", and interpersonal communication, with youth in school, out of school and in tertiary institutions, and encourages young people to "scrutinize" or understand their risk of HIV infection in relation to multiple partners, correct and consistent condom use, transactional sex and alcohol use.

The award was presented at a gala event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 6 December 2011, for being the best multichannel communication intervention or campaign. This category recognises integrated strategic communication initiatives that use a balance of television, radio, print and interpersonal channels.

Scrutinize is a collaborative effort between Johns Hopkins Health and Education in South Africa (JHHESA), Matchboxology, DramAidE, Levi Strauss through its Red for Life initiative with funding by USAID/PEPFAR, and supported by two South Africa broadcasters, SABC and e.tv.

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This is the third honour the campaign has garnered, following on a Gold Ubuntu Loerie Award granted to Levi's Red for Life last year for its investment in initiatives such as Scrutinize, and a Bronze Khuza Award where young people for the first time nominated a social awareness campaign as one of the most talked-about advertising campaigns.

"We're absolutely delighted to have received this prestigious award, which signals the recognition of our African peers in strategic HIV and AIDS health communication," says Richard Delate, managing director of JHHESA.

"A comprehensive evaluation of Scrutinize has already demonstrated its efficacy and cost effectiveness through increased knowledge about the behaviours that place young people at risk of HIV infection, and getting them to reduce their number of sexual partners, use condoms, and know their HIV status. This award is confirmation that Scrutinize is a best-practice campaign, and sets benchmarks for other behavioural change campaigns aimed at young people in particular." added Delate.

For more, go to www.scrutinize.org.za