UNAIDS
Image used in the DGA / UNAIDS “Aids is not over” campaign
This Monday, the Directorate-General for Health rejected “any discrimination for whatever reason”, after displeased comments received in a post on Instagram, claiming that it limited itself to publishing the original image of UNAIDS.
A publication by the DGS on its Instagram profile, in connection with International AIDS Day, generated huge controversy on social media this Monday, accusing the public body of “racism“.
At issue is the fact that the chosen image, with the caption “AIDS is not over”, represents exclusively black people — which quickly received dozens of negative comments.
“Shameful poster”, “unqualified”, “miserable” are among the adjectives that could be read in the comments box of the publication, which was meanwhile erased — not without having managed to get a screenshot.
“What’s going on, guys, Is the notion button turned off in marketing?“, asks a user. “You are racists only on Mondaysor the whole week?” asks another.
However, at the time of this edition, the DGS maintains on its Facebook page one of the original UNAIDS post, in English, with the image in question, which has not yet been removed — and in which some of the comments are omitted.
The one from UNAIDS, which uses the same image, also did not escape negative comments, although in a less aggressive tone.
“AIDS is only linked to African people? Because this image gives the impression that AIDS only exists among Africans. Are we going back to the 80s? Can’t we do better now?”, writes a user, who appears to be of Portuguese nationality.
According to “Practical Guide to Ending HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination” in 2023 by UNAIDS, HIV is unevenly distributed in the US, with demographic factors, such as race, sex, sexual orientation and geography, considered determinants of the epidemic.
At the intersection of these factors, the document says, is one of the highest risk groups of HIV infection in the world: “black and Latino gays, bisexuals and men who have sex with other men.”
People in this population are victims of multiple forms of stigmalike racism and homophobiawhich increases stress and harms health, adds the UNAIDS Guide.
DGS rejects discrimination
“The DGS rejects discrimination for any reason, namely sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin or others”, in accordance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the health authority told the Lusa agency.
At issue is a publication that the DGS made today on its social networks of an image made available by UNAIDS, as part of International AIDS Day, which features three black people with their arms raised and the phrase “AIDS is not over” and which received several comments of displeasure.
“The DGS, on the occasion of World AIDS Day, shared an image today produced and made available by UNAIDS for International AIDS Day, with appropriate translation into Portuguese. It was shared with community partners and by some also publicized”, he added.
During the day, DGS replaced the image it had published for the post original from UNAIDS with the same message, but in English (Aids is not over), claiming that this intended to contribute to the perception of the message and its origin and “always in full respect for human rights”.
According to him, the campaign image aims to warn that AIDS “is not over yet and that there is a way to goaround the world, to mitigate risks and achieve” the Sustainable Development Goals goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
