For me, Annie Lennox is the amazing lead singer of the famous band Eurythmics, but I've heard her voice over the past decade fighting for a different cause: AIDS. I had the honor of meeting Annie at the Global Meeting of Mayors on Ending AIDS in Cities event earlier this month. I'm happy to release this interview a week where the UK is on everyone's minds for a different reason.
You have been a tireless campaigner on the issue of HIV/AIDs and its impact on women's and children's lives. Why is it important to address the rights of women and girls - gender inequality - in order to eradicate the AIDS epidemic?
To quote UNAIDS, HIV/AIDS is the leading global cause of death in women of reproductive age (15 - 49 years of age), as well as the leading cause of death for adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa.
More than 5,000 young women and girls acquire HIV every week - the vast majority of whom live in Southern Africa.
Adolescent girls and women's increased vulnerability to HIV, gender-based violence and poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes are intricately linked to pervasive sociocultural, political and economic inequalities.
The link between intimate partner violence and HIV as a cause and consequence of HIV is recognised - in some regions (including Sub - Saharan Africa), women who experience physical and or sexual partner violence are 1.5 times more likely to acquire HIV.
Globally, about 120 million girls - slightly more than 1 in 10 - have been raped or sexually assaulted by the age of 20.
Over 67 million women (20-24 years old) in 2010 had been married as girls. Around 40,000 girls (below age 18) are married every day.
Women living with HIV are 4 - 5 times more at risk of cervical cancer.
Addressing inequalities related to gender differences in accessing prevention, treatment, care and support are critical to enabling increased coverage and uptake of key HIV programmes and services, along with ensuring effective and sustainable HIV responses.
In summation, women and girls are more than often disempowered at every level. If we are to reach our goal to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, we need to empower girls and women with the agency, authority and knowledge to claim their rights in order to live healthy lives.
HIV/AIDS is a global issue, but viewed as an "African problem." As UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador, how have you raised global awareness of the issue of HIV/AIDS?
I first became more fully aware of the devastating impact the AIDS pandemic was having on the lives of millions of women and children in November 2003 when I was invited to take part in the launch of Nelson Mandela's HIV/AIDS Foundation, 46664, in Cape Town, South Africa - a country with the highest rates of infection.
Mandela sent a direct message to the world that "women and girls were the face of AIDS", describing the situation as a "genocide".
People were dying at an unprecedented rate. Stigma and "shame" associated with HIV/AIDS was rife and as deadly as the lack of information, prevention and treatment. I was genuinely taken aback, as up to that point I hadn't realised the full scale of the issue. After directly witnessing the situation for myself, in hospitals, clinics, orphanages and child-headed households, I was so appalled that I felt compelled to make a contribution, so I started to perform to raise funds to support grassroots projects and went on to produce a series of short film clips as advocacy tools to highlight the situation.
These films were shown on stage, television and internet. They were also broadcast whenever I had the opportunity to use my platform as a campaigner and activist at events, conferences and rallies. I decided to use my voice to mobilise and rally support, to highlight the issue of AIDS in the context of women's rights.
Over the years, I've given countless interviews for radio, television and printed media, to do just that.
The director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, invited me to become a Goodwill Ambassador several years ago and in that capacity I've had the opportunity to speak "truth to power" with politicians, influential individuals and civil society groups, from the Senate in Washington to Parliament in Westminster.
Every time I campaign, I wear my HIV POSITIVE t-shirt so that any photograph taken of me clearly displays the issue I try to represent. I wear the t-shirt in solidarity with everyone who is living with HIV under the shadow of stigma, fear and discrimination. The HIV Positive t-shirt is also a powerful symbol and affirmation of the strength, courage and resilience of AIDS activists, who have fought so hard to ensure that human rights, sexual and reproductive health rights and social justice are at the centre of the HIV response. I'm proud to be part of this alliance of activists and human rights defenders.
Tell me more about your SING Campaign. What inspired you to start the campaign?
I founded the SING Campaign in 2007. Basically it's just me and a small technical support team, with guidance from Comic Relief and UNAIDS. Wherever I go and whatever I do in connection with HIV/AIDS, the SING Campaign is in action. As a mother myself, I naturally feel a connection and empathy for mothers and children everywhere.
Mothers are the portal through which our entire human existence is manifest.
Mothers should be valued, respected and revered, as they are the ones who deliver, nurture and raise the sons and daughters of future generations.
Yet millions of young women and girls have no choice but to be forced into child marriage or brutal relationships where they have to endure violence at a domestic and social level.
Millions of girls deliver babies while they are still barely out of childhood themselves and have little or no knowledge or access to sexual and reproductive health care nor the autonomy to claim their rights.
Millions of young women and girls have risky sexual relations with older men in order to sustain themselves and their families financially.
Rape is a driver of HIV and HIV/AIDS and is endemic across many parts of the world. In Africa, one in four men has acknowledged themselves to be perpetrators. These are some of the reasons why I campaign to raise awareness on this issue. It's not only about a medical issue - it's about human rights, gender and social justice and behavioural practices.
As one of the world's greatest singer/songwriting performers, how has music played an important role in your activism? And vice versa?
Music is one of the most powerful forms of human communication at an emotional, spiritual, intellectual and physical level. As a singer/songwriter and performer, I've always been aware as to how music connects with people in this way. At Nelson Mandela's behest, the 46664 concerts drew upon musicians from all corners of the globe to serve as an advocacy platform, so music was the reason I was invited to contribute as one of the artists.
Ultimately the cause affected me so deeply that I committed to it beyond my singing voice. I use my speaking voice in the role of a campaigner. I've tried to use the best ways I could to bring attention to the issue. Very often I felt my voice was shouting into the void, but I continue to draw strength and inspiration from the courageous people I've met who live with HIV - women, mothers, grandmothers, teenagers and children who stand up to the challenges of ill health, poverty, inequality and violence, with dignity and courage.
There has already been a 60% reduction in new HIV infections in children since 2009, simply because mothers living with HIV learned how they could protect their infants and took the relevant action, averting 1.2 million HIV infections among children.
What is one message you have for world leaders?
The message is that all the investments in terms of money and effort towards an effective response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic have paid off!
Over the last five years, the numbers of people living on treatment has gone from 7 million up to 17.5 million. The mortality rate has approximately halved.
We have the tools and methodology to reaching our goals, but we're at a crucial point now where if we stop investing, all the gains will slide back into reverse. This is not the time to take our feet off the accelerator.
With political will and commitment, we could reach the end of AIDS by 2030. There is a fragile window of opportunity and it needs to be taken right now. Investment needs to go beyond financial commitment to a medical HIV response.
We need committed resources to secure the empowerment, health and progress of the world's 1.8 billion young people and we need to invest in gender equality, not only as development and moral imperatives, but as investments in a better future for all.
What is the greatest lesson you've learned as an activist and a singer?
If you're going to get on board with a cause, be prepared to commit for the long haul rather than just the quick fix! You need to be patient, passionate and determined. Also, find good advisors to work with, who have the knowledge and skills to help you discern the best ways to engage.
At Epic Foundation, we are advocating for the 1% pledge where every single corporation should give 1% of its profit to social causes. What do you think of this movement?
I absolutely endorse the notion of social responsibility for corporate businesses, but clearly the bigger questions lie in the detail. ie. Who decides the best ways to utilise the money raised and who decides which issues should be invested in and for how long?
Jeff Skoll is exemplary with his founding of the Skoll Foundation, which nurtures proven social entrepreneurial initiatives of excellence representing every issue across the globe, from creating new ways to access clean water, to sustainable fishing and farming methods, to sex trafficking, slave trading, FGM, child marriage, etc. I think you and Jeff could have a productive conversation!
Finally, do you think that by doing good, you're more successful?
To be honest, I'm not really interested in "doing good" or "charity" work.
I think these terms are somewhat outdated and redundant. I like to view things more in terms of investment for transformative change. I've probably experienced just as much failure in my life than whatever people describe as "success."
I'm passionate about injustice, especially when it comes to the lack of opportunity for my gender, i.e. millions of girls and women.
I regard myself as a global feminist. It's not that complicated. I just want to make a contribution towards helping to create a better life for girls and women caught in the cycle of poverty and oppression, who dream about having access to rights, health, resources, empowerment, freedom and choice. I founded an organisation called The Circle towards that purpose. Check out www.thecircle.ngo