Thanks from ActionAid to everyone who took part in the Put Your Foot Down campaign to end violence against women and the spread of HIV. The great news is that, thanks to everyone's support, we have surpassed our target of 2,876 signatures. We have collected a signature for every women who contracts HIV every day.

Many of our supporters posted us shoes. With them Riita Ikonen, Young Creative Network, has sculpted an inspirational piece of art on the themes of women, violence and HIV. The sculpture was unveiled in the Foyer of the Department for International Development in the UK, and handed in along with all your virtual shoes, to Minister Ivan Lewis.

The customized shoes tell women's stories. Those painted black represent the silent voices of women who have suffered violence and contracted HIV.

Ivan Lewis, the Minister in charge of HIV and AIDS, spoke to ActionAid at the unveiling. He emphasised that DFID was strongly committed to doing more on violence against women, and promised that the UK would encourage other countries and the international community to follow suit, and put women's rights at the heart of the struggle against HIV.

In the coming months, ActionAid will be following up both of these commitments. Watch this space!

Many thanks to everyone who has supported the put your foot down campaign, your support has sent a powerful message that it is time to take action on violence against women.

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