World AIDS Day 2009

On December 1, the world will observe World AIDS Day again, twenty-one years after it was first declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). In 1988 the General Assembly acknowledged the importance of observing this day due to the rapid and global spread of AIDS (GA Res. 43/15). Because halting HIV/AIDS by 2015 is Goal #6 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it is important that the global community each year take steps towards increasing access to antiretroviral drugs, and educating and helping the millions of people, including children, affected by the disease.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2009 is Universal Access and Human Rights. This theme focuses on the correlation between the abuses of human rights and high HIV/AIDS infection rates. Discrimination and restricting access to treatment are just two of many human rights violations which those affected by HIV/AIDS face.

Important UN resources that address HIV/AIDS are:

1. A 2008 UN fact sheet explaining Goal #6 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It discusses the initiatives taken by the UN to combat HIV/AIDS and what still needs to be done to meet the objective.
2. UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program, brings together ten UN organizations to better gather information intended to educate and gradually diminish the impact and prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The Events Calendar lists upcoming events related to HIV/AIDS.
3. UNICEF’s video Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment and care discusses the goal of ensuring universal access for both mothers and children to HIV/AIDS care. The same video in French can be found at here. UNICEF’s video Prevención de la transmisión del VIH en Guatemala discusses the measures taken in nations such as Guatemala to ensure access to preventive care for expectant mothers.