World AIDS Day 2007

The 1 December is an opportunity to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, highlight specific issues related to living with HIV and ensure the epidemic is kept on the national and international agenda.

The International Federation and its 186 National Societies will mark the day this year with a focus on communities. The International Federation is calling for communities themselves to take the lead in the fight against HIV. Leadership is the theme set by the World AIDS Campaign for the next two years. It is also a reminder that HIV is not only an issue affecting communities we serve, but it also affects volunteers and staff of the organization.

	Opinion piece: Dr Mukesh Kapila Africa does not have a monopoly on suffering when it comes to HIV. The vulnerability of women and girls can be just as striking in other regions, a reflection of socio-cultural factors as well as the pervasive inequality of the sexes. This is so, even in well-off parts of the world such as in Latin America and the Caribbean where, over past decades, women have become much better educated and economically active, but gender inequalities persist, and the HIV epidemic has an increasingly feminine face.
	Communities must “take charge of their own destinies” Communities must be at the forefront of the fight against HIV and tackling gender inequalities must be at the centre of our efforts, says the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on World AIDS Day. “We will not reduce the dreadful HIV statistics unless gender inequalities are tackled, and we can convince people – especially men - to change attitudes. The stark reality is that tens of millions of women all over the world continue to be prevented from managing their own sexuality, and daily face coercion, abuse, and violence.”
	South Africa: Maria, a 'miraculous recovery' in Extension 10 Maria, aged 64, has been HIV positive for some years. She was in a serious condition for many months and was confined to bed. However, her health has greatly improved recently. She is up and about again and, when she is strong enough, she loves to go out and water her small garden. Some months ago, Maria began benefiting from the home care programme run by the South African Red Cross Society. She receives regular visits from Martha Malatji, a young volunteer who also lives in Extension 10.
	Cameroon: Red Cross conducts school HIV awareness campaign Clémentine Ngono and Achille Nnomo meet regularly with their schoolmates to raise awareness about HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. Meetings take place in a classroom, or sometimes even in the playground. The children gradually gather together in a circle. After some hesitation at the thought of discussing very personal issues in public, the questions follow: questions about prevention, condoms, contraception. The pupils, who are also volunteers with the Cameroon Red Cross, answer the questions, referring, where necessary, to the teachers supervising the meeting.
	Kenya: Vegetable gardens help ensure effectiveness of HIV treatment The added nutritional value of vegetables which contains vitamins and minerals is important when taking anti-retroviral medication used to treat people living with HIV. In Kenya, the diet mainly consists of starch and carbohydrates which do not have enough vitamins. Vegetables not only help neutralize the side effects of anti-retroviral treatment but they also help to build up the body’s immunity.
	Photo gallery Empowering communities is at the centre of the International Federation’s action on HIV. Trained Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers involved in home-based care programmes have a unique role. They visit clients, support their adherence to treatment, motivate safe behaviour, and give advice on nutrition, health and hygiene. They also offer psychosocial support to both clients and their families. This selection of photos highlights the importance of families and communities in tackling HIV and AIDS.
	Our world, together against AIDS HIV and AIDS will kill more people this decade that all the wars and disasters in the past 50 years. Since the epidemic began, 25 million people have died and more than 40 million are now living with HIV. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has been involved in the fight against the spread of the HIV since the mid-1980s. With its 100 million volunteers, the International Federation is able to play an essential role in coordinating and supporting local efforts to combat the disease.
	Our world: AIDS and childhood in Southern Africa This photobook charts the devastating impact of AIDS on children in southern Africa. Its aim is to document the perilous lives lived by so many young people, and to mobilize action to better serve the needs of children made vulnerable by HIV. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the official policy of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

More stories from the field

• South Africa: Red Cross supports 'Auntie Elizabeth' and the orphans
• South Africa: Home care provided by Red Cross an essential complement to public health structures
• Cameroon: The Red Cross helps the most vulnerable 'filles libres'
• Cameroon: Hortense, the former 'fille libre' turned peer educator
• Zambia: Left to care for five great grandchildren at 82

Our partners

• Code of Good Practice for NGOs responding to HIV/AIDS
• GNP+
• UNAIDS
• World AIDS Campaign