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Five people worldwide die of AIDS every minute.
HIV has hit every corner of the globe, infecting
more than 42 million men, women and children; 5
million people were infected
in 2002 alone.
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Started in 1988, World AIDS Day is not just
about raising money, but also about raising
awareness, education and fighting prejudice.
World AIDS Day strengthens global efforts to
address the challenges of the AIDS pandemic,
which continues to spread throughout every
region of the world. The day plays an important
role in reminding people that HIV has not gone
away, and that it should remain a major concern.
The theme of the World AIDS Campaign 2002-2003
"Live and let live", focuses on eliminating
stigma and discrimination, the major obstacles
to effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care. World
AIDS Day is commemorated around the globe on 1
December. It celebrates progress made in the
battle against the epidemic and focuses on
remaining challenges. On
25 November 2003 UNAIDS
launched its annual report the "AIDS epidemic
update 2003.". The report describes latest
developments in the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and
provides regional summaries.
In a global summary of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
UNAIDS figures show that there are an estimated
37 million adults living with AIDS and a further
2.5 million children
under 15 years old living
with the disease. The agency predicts 5 million
new infections and 3 million AIDS deaths in
2003. HIV remains a threat to people of all ages
and nationalities.
‘Stigma and Discrimination’ will be highlighted
as the theme of World AIDS Day 2003. In many
parts of the world discrimination prevents
people known to have HIV from securing jobs or
caring for their families. Discrimination can
cause isolation, and marginalises people with
HIV and AIDS. This can prevent people from being
offered or seeking treatment that could save
their lives. To tackle
HIV effectively at
international level efforts need to be made to
end the discrimination against people with
HIV/AIDS, educate people in safer sex and drug
use using appropriate media, provide free
condoms to people in the developing world, and
provide financial and medical assistance so that
people with HIV/AIDS can be treated.
Negative attitudes about HIV can create a
climate in which people become more afraid of
the stigma and discrimination associated with
the disease than of the disease itself. When
fear and discrimination prevail people may
choose to ignore the possibility of being
HIV-positive, even if they know they have taken
risks. People may also decide not to take
measures to protect themselves for fear that by
doing so they could associate themselves with
HIV.
HIV/AIDS touches raw nerves in all our
communities.
The stigma it evokes relates to
deep taboos within society. For many the disease
has strong associations with prolonged illness,
death, sex and drug use; issues that many of us
find difficult to talk about openly. Along with
general discomfort about discussing these
'taboo' issues, many communities are also
dealing with high levels of ignorance, denial,
fear and intolerance about the disease itself.
This potent combination can lead to rejection
and even aggression against people living with
HIV. All of this helps to create an environment
in which the disease can spread more easily.
This year's World AIDS Campaign encourages both
individuals and institutions to reflect on how
they respond to those living with HIV/AIDS. With
challenging posters and television images the
campaign clearly shows how the most painful
symptoms of HIV/AIDS are often the reactions of
others. When someone feels safe in their own
community, they are more likely to take
responsibility for their
HIV status. This is why
it is so important for all of us to examine our
own attitudes. Only by confronting stigma
and
discrimination across the world will we win the
fight against HIV/AIDS. |
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HIV virus attacking an immunce cell. BBC. |
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“On this World AIDS Day, I
urge you to join me in speaking up loud and
clear about HIV/AIDS. Join me in tearing
down the walls of silence, stigma and
discrimination that surround the epidemic.
Join me, because the fight against HIV/AIDS
begins with you...”
UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan. |
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