Making
AIDS history
I am proud to write to you today on behalf of the Governing
Board and the Federation to mark World AIDS Day 2004 and reflect
on the promises the Federation made to the world during the
United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS in June
2001.
We are an organization that keeps its promises. At the recent
Board meeting the Federation's Governance reiterated 'its commitment
to HIV/AIDS remaining a priority for the International Federation,
National Societies and its Secretariat’. Our response
to HIV/AIDS continues to grow, and with this involvement comes
increased recognition of the vital contribution made by volunteers
in the community. Governments cannot meet this challenge alone,
so I encourage National Societies to continue to play an active
role together with their volunteers in this fight.
Please allow me to illustrate our progress with some specific
examples:
Firstly,the Federation's partnership with people living with
HIV/AIDS is growing. The latest step is that the International
Home Care of PLWHA Conference, long associated with the Federation,
is being harmonised with the International PLWHA Conference
associated with our partner the Global Network of PLWHA.
The two conferences will now be held together in Lima, Peru
9 - 13 October 2005. I have personally committed to making sure
this is a successful event, and I encourage you all to utilize
this opportunity to demonstrate our partnership with PLWHA and
share our many practical achievements.
Secondly, the Federation's model for involvement in anti-retroviral
treatment access has guided the development of proposals in
six countries, and resource mobilisation efforts are happening
to make these projects a reality. In mid-2003 the Federation
had no practical response to treatment access, so this demonstrates
how quickly Governance can identify a priority, and the Secretariat
can co-ordinate the response.
Likewise since our General Assembly at the end of 2003 during
which the Federation's guidelines on harm reduction were launched,
14 National Societies in Eastern Europe have started programmes
with injecting drug users to prevent the sharing of injecting
equipment. This is a great example of the ability of National
Societies to identify an urgent need and work with the most
vulnerable to save lives and protect health.
Thirdly, the document entitled Renewing Our Voice: Code of Good
Practice for NGOs Responding to HIV/AIDS will be launched simultaneously
in ten countries around the world today. The principles in the
Code have already been endorsed by 160 organizations. By endorsing
this Code the Federation's Secretariat has indicated it is willing
to be held accountable against these best practice standards,
challenging us to continue in our efforts to respond more effectively
to HIV/AIDS. This accountability is not just for donors, but
also to those we seek to serve and empower.
The Federation is proud to have hosted this project as it is
convinced that the Code will deserve the consensus of civil
society organizations.
World AIDS Day today focuses on women's vulnerability. The usefulness
of the Codeshould generate a legislative and policy environment
that promotes the rights of women and girls, in order to shift
the dynamics that underscore women’s vulnerability to
HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS is not only driven by gender inequity –
it entrenches it.
HIV and AIDS have significantly increased the care burden for
many women. Unequal power in sexual relationships undermines
the capacity of women and girls to exercise control over their
sexual choices. The Federation can lead the way in changing
this through role modeling gender equity in our work and in
our programs to enhance resilience. Please see our special page
on the Federation website for more information http://www.ifrc.org/meetings/events/wad2004/.
On this day we remember the many active humanitarians of our
National Societiesand the Federation who have died with AIDS
in last years. There are an estimated 200,000 volunteers and
staff living with HIV in the Movement, and an even larger number
directly affected by HIV/AIDS. Once again, I ask you to support
the Masambo Fund created by the Federation.
The global AIDS pandemic is still in its early phases. Worse
is yet to come, so we must prepare a long term emergency response
through strong volunteer mobilization and thenecessary support
systems. Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders can make a strong
difference by publicly standing by PLWHA and acknowledging their
contribution and humanity.
However, we have to move beyond this and focus our efforts in
prevention, care, treatment, and anti-stigma work to stop the
growth of this pandemic and go ahead with our anti-stigma work.
We have to reach the point where our work combined with the
efforts of others will see new infection rates go down and the
dignity and lives of PLWHA protected. This is the humanitarian
challenge of our age. Together we can make AIDS history.
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