Prince Harry launches World AIDS Day campaign

Britain's Prince Harry urged people to share their secrets online on Monday (December 1) in support of his charity's campaign for World AIDS Day.

Harry and a line-up of celebrities including singer Nicole Scherzinger and actress Gemma Arterton will lay their secrets bare to the world on video in support of Sentebale's #FeelNoShame campaign.

Sharing secrets from worst fears to guilty pleasures Prince Harry and the A-List line-up hope to raise awareness of the stigma and shame which prevents HIV sufferers worldwide from speaking up and seeking support.

The campaign, from charity Sentebale—which Prince Harry co-founded—aims to raise help for and empower HIV sufferers to seek medical support and education about their condition, and prevent the virus from spreading.

Prince Harry said: "Globally, HIV is the second highest cause of death amongst those aged between 10-19 years old, and it is the number one cause of death across Africa. One tragic issue in particular is the shame and stigma linked to HIV. This causes thousands of children to needlessly die each year because they're keeping their illness a secret and not getting the medical attention they need.

"To show our support for the children of Lesotho, and help reduce the stigma for all those affected by HIV, we are turning this World AIDS Day into a day in which no one should feel any shame about their secrets. Together, we can tackle the stigma surrounding HIV and give the young people carrying it the childhood they deserve. The childhood so many of us take for granted," he added.

Prince Harry will release his own secret at 1300GMT on microsite FeelNoShame today, while other celebrities' secrets will be released throughout the day.

Prince Harry co-founded Sentebale in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, following a visit to the country two years earlier, when he was struck by the effect the HIV/AIDS pandemic was having on the country, particularly its children.

Lesotho has the third highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world, after Swaziland and Botswana, according to Sentebale.

More than 37,000 of Lesotho's 500,000 children are HIV positive, and approximately 200,000 have lost parents to AIDS, forcing them out of school and into hazardous forms of labour including prostitution and trafficking.

Since 1996, the country's average life expectancy has fallen from 59 years to below 48.7 years.

Sentebale provides accommodation, hot food, access to medication and education for Lesotho's children - preventing the virus from spreading - as well as vital psycho-social support to help them tackle stigma and cope with the emotional repercussions of their condition and live normal lives. — Reuters