• by Tanya Gazdik , March 11, 2013

Grammy Award-winning artist and HIV advocate Alicia Keys has teamed up with Greater Than AIDS and the Kaiser Family Foundation to launch a public information campaign to reach women in the U.S. about HIV/AIDS.

The ongoing EMPOWERED campaign includes targeted public service ads and community engagement opportunities. 

Approximately 280,000 people living with HIV in the U.S. -- or about one in four -- are women. Women of color have been especially hard-hit, accounting for the large majority of new infections occurring among women in the U.S.

As a force in the global fight against AIDS, Keys has dedicated her work in philanthropy to help bring awareness to the urgency of HIV/AIDS. Now with the launch of EMPOWERED, she is once again highlighting the power of women -- as mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, partners and people living with HIV -- to change the course of this disease through everyday actions.

Most HIV infections among American women are a result of heterosexual transmission, and to a lesser extent sharing needles. There has been some recent encouraging news when it comes to women and HIV.  According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there was a significant 21% decrease in new HIV infections among women in the U.S. between 2008 and 2010. For progress to continue, experts caution that efforts must be sustained. More information about women and HIV/AIDS is available from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

"We're thrilled to be partnering with Alicia Keys on this new Greater Than AIDS campaign to reach women about HIV," said Drew Altman, president and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation. "As the backbone of so many families in this country, as well as a population affected by the disease, women are central to the fight against HIV."

The Kaiser Family Foundation -- a leader in health policy and communication -- provides strategic direction and day-to-day management, as well as overseeing the production of the campaigns. 

The first phase of the campaign features Keys in conversation with five HIV positive women from different parts of the country and walks of life. A half-hour video of Keys' conversation with the women will be made available for community screenings and discussion. 

The theme of empowerment carries throughout the cross-platform campaign, which will include TV, radio, outdoor, print and digital public service ads, special programming, social media promotions, informational materials, resources and more.