HIV/AIDS

XVII International AIDS Conference
Mexico: 3-8 August 2008

The XVII International AIDS Conference has brought together some 20,000 delegates from around the world in Mexico City from 3 to 8 August. They discussed issues concerning the epidemic, and in particular, the stigma attached to the disease. Fighting prejudice was a key theme of this year's conference.

According to UNAIDS, some 33 million people are HIV-positive globally. In 2007, two million people died from AIDS and almost seven thousand people contract HIV every day. Among children, there were 370,000 new infections last year.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies launched its "Global Alliance on HIV" in the Americas and the Caribbean just prior to the opening of the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. It’s estimated more than 7 million people will benefit from this partnership.

The aim of this initiative is to raise over 22.3 million Swiss francs (USD 21.4 million / € 13.7 million) to scale up HIV and AIDS programmes in the region. The initiative will start with ten countries: Argentina, Belize, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras and Jamaica. In the coming years, more countries from the Americas will join the HIV Global Alliance.

So far, some 90 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world have joined the Federation’s Global Alliance on HIV.

• Testimonials of people living with HIV in Latin America, talking about the difficulties they encounter in their daily lives, as well as how they are overcoming these challenges.

Interviews:

• "Tackling HIV in the Americas" - Interview with Dr Raymond Forde, Vice-President of the IFRC and President of the Barbados Red Cross National Society and Dr Mukesh Kapila, Special Representative of the Secretary General and Co-chair Steering Committee of the HIV Global Alliance.
• "I am with the Red Cross because we work in communities where no-one else goes" - Interview with José María Di Bello, HIV/AIDS programme coordinator
• "Education is at the core of the fight against HIV/AIDS" - Interview with Lois Hue, Deputy Director General of the Jamaican Red Cross and Manager of the HIV and AIDS Programme
• "May others not think for us or decide for us" - Interview with Miguel Ángel Ariza, Panamanian Red Cross

Speeches:

• "International March against Stigma, Discrimination and Homophobia" - Speech by Dr Raymond Forde.
• "HIV Global Alliance in the Americas: Launch" - Speech by Dr Raymond Forde.
• "Launch of the HIV Global Alliance in the Americas" - Remarks by Dr Mukesh Kapila.

Related web sites:

• XVII International AIDS conference
• Living 2008 summit
• UNAIDS