MUMBAI: Actress Preity Zinta has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in India.

As UNAids Ambassador, Zinta will raise awareness on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, with an emphasis on women, children and the oppressed. Through her contacts in the film fraternity, the actress will support the UNAids mission of empowering people – especially women and girls – to protect themselves and live full, productive lives.

Zinta will also advocate in combating the stigma and discrimination faced by the people living with HIV through her universal appeal and her Indian Premier League team Kings XI Punjab.

In her latest tweet, Zinta wrote, "It was very endearing to meet people living with HIV and listening to their stories! Forty per cent of them are women and they get it mostly from their husbands!"