World Aids Day is observed anually on 1 December 2011. The theme of World AIDS Day 2011 was Getting to Zero. Backed by the United Nations the Getting to Zero campaign will run until 2015. The Getting to Zero campaign draws heavily from successful 2010 World AIDS Day’s Light for Rights initiative encompassing a range of vital issues identified by key affected populations.
In 2011 the global community committed to focusing on achieving 3 targets: Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination and Zero AIDS-related deaths.
The World AIDS Campaign focus on Zero AIDS Related Deaths signifies a push towards greater access to treatment for all and a call for governments to act now.
The global campaign claims that fundamental right to health is intrinsically and inextricably linked to other basic rights-– the right to food, to shelter, to freedom, to clean water and safety. Access to affordable life saving quality medicines free from the crippling effects of excessive profit taking is also considered cricial.
Zero New HIV Infections and Zero Discrimination is expected to spark high impact events from small scale community vigils to nation wide events using the universally recognised shape of zeros.
World AIDS Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. Government and health officials observe the day, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. The President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day since 1995.
Statistics
World AIDS Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. AIDS killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007 and an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV (as of 2007).
In 2010, there were 2.7 million new HIV infections and 1.8 million people died from AIDS.3 Moreover, in 2011 people living with HIV were still subject to restrictions on their travel and/or stay in 47 countries, territories and areas.
Despite improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2 million lives in 2007, of which about 270,000 were children.
The Red Ribbon
The red ribbon is an international symbol of AIDS awareness that is worn by people all year round and particularly around World AIDS Day to demonstrate care and concern about HIV and AIDS as well as to remind others of the need for their support and commitment.
History
World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. World AIDS Day was first observed on 1 December 1988.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) became operational in 1996 and took over the planning and promotion of World AIDS Day. UNAIDS created the World AIDS Campaign in 1997 to focus on year-round communications, prevention and education.
In its first two years, the theme of World AIDS Day focused on children and young people. These themes were strongly criticized at the time for ignoring the fact that people of all ages may become infected with HIV and suffer from AIDS.
The World AIDS Campaign became an independent organization in 2004.
From its inception until 2004, UNAIDS spearheaded the World AIDS Day campaign, choosing annual themes in consultation with other global health organizations.
each year's World AIDS Day theme is chosen by the World AIDS Campaign's Global Steering Committee after extensive consultation with people, organizations and government agencies involved in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. For each World AIDS Day from 2005 through 2010, the theme was Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise, with a yearly sub-theme.
Theme is not specific to World AIDS Day, but is used year-round in WAC's efforts to highlight HIV/AIDS awareness within the context of other major global events including the G8 Summit. World AIDS Campaign also conducts in-country campaigns throughout the world, like the Student Stop AIDS Campaign, an infection-awareness campaign targeting young people throughout the UK.
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation