Victoria Beckham's role as a Global Goodwill Ambassador

When UNAIDS named Victoria Beckham as a Global Goodwill Ambassador (the United Nations' effort to limit the spread of AIDS, control its effects and pursue the goal of a world free of HIV/AIDS infections), the organization got far more than it knew.

Who is Victoria Beckham?

Victoria Beckham will always be "Posh" Spice — a stage name as a member of the Spice Girls that recognized her beauty, her cool elegance and her classy sense of style. Victoria Caroline née Adams is Mrs. David Beckham — accustomed to stardom and the spotlight, married to a world-class athlete and a central fi gure in the London, not to say the global, social scene. Victoria Beckham is a renowned British fashion designer and an international brand in her own right and simultaneously known for elegance and accessibility.

And, Victoria Beckham is the mother of four children: sons Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (1999), Romeo James Beckham (2002), Cruz David Beckham (2005) and daughter Harper Seven Beckham (2011). Despite her busy schedule and numerous fashion awards, including Designer Brand of the Year from the British fashion industry, Victoria Beckham insists that her children are her first priority. "For me it's about focus, my children will always be my priority. Then my work starts with just making sure that my schedule is handled in the right way and focusing my efforts. It is a juggling act and that's not easy. Every mum struggles."

It is easy to underestimate and stereotype Victoria Beckham. The London tabloids tagged her as "the hottest but least vocally blessed member of the Spice Girls." There is a universe of criticism where that might be a fair assessment, but it ignores the fact that while Victoria Beckham's professional career might have begun with the Spice Girls . . . it did not end there. As she has developed her career as fashion designer and marketer extraordinaire, Beckham has continued to receive criticism for her seemingly aloof, detached poses and almost expressionless stare . . . a phenomenon she attributes to the fashion industry's consciousness that, "It's about the clothes, not the model."

Asked about her famous unsmiling poses, Beckham herself observes that, "I'm smiling on the inside. I feel I have a responsibility to the fashion community." And, she does have a quick sense of humor and a deep sense of compassion. Asked about what she has learned from the experience of motherhood, Victoria Beckham spontaneously names two complementary skills, "How to play football [soccer] in the house, and how to love unconditionally."

From Identity to Commitment

There is, Beckham insists, a link between her commercial persona and her humanitarian commitments. It is a phrase to which she returns often, whether in discussing fashion or explaining her social concerns. "I am a passionate supporter of women. I want to empower women." She translates that desire to empower women into action as a voice of the Save the Children Foundation, a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, work with mothers2mothers in South Africa, UNAIDS, and most recently the "Ban Bossy" campaign sponsored by the Girl Scouts and LeanIn.org. "It is," Beckham points out on her Twitter site, "thought provoking that a man in charge may be described as commanding, however a woman in the same situation may be called 'bossy.'"

The famously snarky London press has often disparaged the United Nations program of enlisting celebrities in support of its various initiatives as a strategy of "giving difficult causes fluffy advocates" or an "awkward alignment of the frothily fatuous and the deeply deserving." But, there is a telling counter to these same criticisms. Leading scholars of non-profit activism and fundraising point out that, "Victoria Beckham and the very few figures who share her level of visibility — those who are observed by millions of online followers, and those whose name is internationally emblematic and recognizable — can attract attention to worthy but unpalatable causes far more effectively than any NGO [non-governmental organization]."

As he named Victoria Beckham an International Goodwill Ambassador, Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibé thanked her for "amazing support by bringing the worlds of fashion and activism together. I dream of a generation free of HIV," Sidibé continued, "and I know that Victoria Beckham's support will help us to achieve this shared goal. In her role as an ambassador for UNAIDS, she will work towards ensuring that all children are born free from HIV and that women who are living with and infected by HIV have access to medical care. Her creativity, innovation and outreach will amplify our efforts and bring us one important step closer towards ending the AIDS epidemic."

Accepting the appointment, Victoria Beckham noted, "This is the beginning of an incredible journey for me. As a woman and a mother, I have a responsibility to support other women. I am proud and honored to be working with UNAIDS in this new role to help raise resources and awareness to support and empower women and children affected by HIV. Babies should not be born with HIV. Children should not become infected. Families should not be torn apart by the loss of the parent or a child."

Her Incredible Journey

Reflecting on her new role, Beckham observed, "It's taken me getting to 40 years old to realize that I have a responsibility as a woman . . . as a mother. I have a voice that people will listen to. And, I'm taking that responsibility very seriously." Moreover, Victoria sees her role as going far beyond being simply a spokesperson for UNAIDS. Adding a measure of humility to her pride in this UNAIDS ambassadorial appointment, she promised the assembled press and, through them, the world, "I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I know everything right now, I don't. I'm learning. I have people mentoring me. I'm going back to South Africa in a few weeks, and then farther afield next year."

Victoria Beckham is eloquent about the impact of her visits to South Africa under the auspices of UNAIDS, the Elton John AIDS Foundation and mothers2mothers. "I was so touched by the women I met and felt inspired. I came home and I knew I had to do something." Beckham visited several AIDS medical and educational facilities in Johannesburg, and in Cape Town. While in South Africa, she met with doctors, mothers, young women, children and a variety of HIV/AIDS outreach workers, including so-called "Mentor Mothers." These are mothers living with HIV who are trained to educate women on how to prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to babies and to improve the health of women and their families.

Though Victoria and David Beckham have been patrons of the Elton John AIDS Foundation for more than 20 years, she looks at her recent experiences in South Africa as life changing. Whirlwind though they were, Beckham came away from her South African visits with a new understanding of the lives of women living with HIV/AIDS. "I realized," she said, "that I have to step forward and do whatever I can."

But what to do? Beckham is resolved to lend her name and fame to the cause of ending pediatric AIDS and nurturing healthy families. But, was there more that she could do? Could she bring her fashion sense and business acumen to bear in ways that would capitalize not only on her name but on her celebrity life and her personal skills?

Fashionable Action

On top of her travels to South Africa and the media coverage they bring, Victoria Beckham has nurtured two fashion-related efforts not only to raise money but to raise awareness. She has helped midwife a new collaboration between the fashion industry and the AIDS treatment and prevention community through Born Free Africa. Top designers have created a capsule fashion collection of African design items that are available online. All are priced under $250 and all proceeds from sales benefit Born Free Africa.

Beckham also came up with the idea of auctioning off online more than 600 items selected from her wardrobe, all for the benefit of mothers2mothers. She hoped that a sale of carefully selected iconic pieces from her career, including items from her early days with the Spice Girls, ones that she wore on the red carpet and with David Beckham at awards shows and fundraisers — all of which had been heavily documented and photographed by the world press and valued by Christie's — would provide substantial support to the organization's AIDS education efforts. "I laughed a lot (yes, laughed!) when we were going through my wardrobe. The pieces held so many happy memories for me, David and the children. A lot of the clothes were specially designed for me by the most talented designers, and I loved wearing them. But now it was someone else's turn to enjoy them."

World AIDS Day also offered the opportunity for Victoria Beckham to come up with a limited edition t-shirt, a very chic and luxurious t-shirt, that sported the red ribbon logo emblematic of the worldwide fight against HIV/AIDS. "My personal commitment to raise awareness and resources to end the AIDS epidemic," Beckham explained, "is one that is shared by my brand and we wanted to mark World AIDS Day with an initiative that my customers could also participate in." All proceeds went to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS to support their efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

Victoria Beckham is many things. Today, most prominently, she is a world-class fashion designer and brand marketer who successfully brings fame and accomplishment together with conscience. She has become the very model of a social entrepreneur seeking to bring her fame, her design talents, her marketing skills, and her social commitments together in support of ending AIDS and advancing women's and children's health. It is a potent combination.

"I am a passionate supporter of women. I would do anything for my children." These are core values for Victoria Beckham. "I think every woman out there has the right to health. And every woman has the right to give her children a healthy future." These are the commitments that make her values real.

For more information see:

• UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS: www.unaids.org
• The Elton John AIDS Foundation: www.ejaf.org
• mothers2mothers: www.m2m.org
• Born Free Initiative: bornfreeafrica.org
• Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation: desmondtutuhivfoundation.org.za