STOP AIDS NOW! fears dramatic increase in AIDS orphans due to funding cuts on HIV treatment

There are 16.6 million AIDS orphans worldwide. As a result of the economic crisis, international donors are not actually providing the funding they promised for the global response to AIDS. The Netherlands now seems to be following their example by no longer giving priority to AIDS. The Dutch government is planning to drastically cut the budget for the international fight against AIDS. This includes the Dutch contribution to UNAIDS and the Global Fund to fight Aids, TB and Malaria. This is unacceptable. Cuts in international budgets for HIV treatment will lead to more parents dying of AIDS and therefore growing numbers of AIDS orphans. Families who take in these orphans don't have enough resources. It cannot go on like this.

Despite the crisis and budget cuts, STOP AIDS NOW! calls on the Dutch government to ensure that parents do not die of AIDS. With our online petition we want to give the Dutch government a wake up call. They should know that if they actually continue their plans, the lives of at least 180.000 people living with HIV will be at risk. Support our campaign and help us prevent a tragedy. Send a condolence card to the Dutch government at www.aidshulpmoetblijven.nl The website is in Dutch, but you can fill it out very easily. All you need to do is leave your name and e-mail address. See the translation below. Click on the Facebook or Twitter button to share it with all your friends. Read on...

What’s new?

UNAIDS Global Epidemic Update 2010

 "Investments in the AIDS response are paying off, but gains are fragile"

The latest UNAIDS report on the Global Epidemic Update shows that the AIDS epidemic is beginning to change course, as the number of people newly infected with HIV is declining and AIDS-related deaths are decreasing. New evidence shows that HIV prevention is working, yet new HIV infections still outpace treatment success by 2:1. "We are breaking the trajectory of the AIDS epidemic with bold actions and smart choices," said Mr Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "Investments in the AIDS response are paying off, but gains are fragile-the challenge now is how we can all work to accelerate progress." Read on...

Healthy Woman, Health Man, Healthy Family

If you are working in the area of HIV, gender, and women's rights, the toolkit ‘Healthy woman, healthy man, healthy family - Working towards gender equality for an AIDS-free world' is useful for you. This newly produced toolkit is a product of the Gender Development Project in Kenya, and combines results of the project with the guidelines and best practices of working towards social change in a holistic manner. The toolkit integrates human rights and gender in HIV work, in a practical and contextualised way.

Low Cost and Effective HIV and AIDS Workplace Responses
Experiences from Ethiopia, India and Uganda
Fear of the financial cost often prevents organisations taking proactive steps to address HIV and AIDS in the workplace. Yet many responses do not require much investment. This paper describes four case studies of such low cost responses.

Research

Regular cash payments for girls can reduce their HIV risk

Choosing safer sexual partners

Giving young women regular cash payments can reduce their dependence on sexual relationships with older men, which lowers their HIV risk according to a new World Bank study. Researchers attributed the decline in HIV and genital herpes risk to delayed sexual debut, reduced sexual activity, and the choice of younger male partners, who were less likely to carry sexually transmitted infections. However, the transfer did not increase the likelihood of condom use; and it must be seen as one of multiple methods of tackling HIV. View complete article...

Meet and Greet

I cannot just leave a child to his or her fate

Teleza lives in a small village in Western Malawi. Since her husband passed away due to AIDS Teleza has been taking care of her four children and four grandchildren by herself.

"When my husband was still alive, we could make a living out of agriculture. Unfortunately this is not the case any longer. I still work the land, with help of the children, but due to my age it gets harder on me each day. Besides I don't have enough money to buy fertiliser. Lately the land has not been providing us with enough food and money to get us through the year. It hasn't been enough either to send each of the children to school."

"If I would have to take care for yet another child, I would do so. I just cannot leave a child to his or her fate. However, it will not be without challenges because I will have an extra mouth to feed, I will need more money for school and we will get even less space in our little house."

Teleza is financially broke. She has not received a lot of support from the community since her husband has passed away. There is an organisation in the village that takes care of the most vulnerable families, but it has insufficient means to cater for everyone. Despite the fact that primary school is for free for children in Malawi, the costs of school uniforms, books and notebooks are too high for Teleza. Teleza works in agriculture on other people's land to be able to pay for the high school fee of some of the children. 

Teleza's story is symbolic of many mother and grandmothers who have been left behind with the children due to the devastating impact of AIDS.

Upcoming events

• STI*HIV*Sex Conference, 1 December, Amsterdam
  This year's motto: Get Moving! This year's conference speakers are going to take a critical look at our issues from a very different angle. Political debate will be encouraged, and there will be an opportunity to find out how new communication technologies such as social media and Web 2.0 can work for you.

• The European Development Days, 6-7 December, Brussels
  Organised by the European Commission and the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, this event provides the leading European forum where the questions and issues about international development cooperation are debated.

• The 27th Meeting of the Programme Coordinating Board, 6-8 December, Geneva
  Specific items on the agenda will be: Gender-sensitivity of AIDS responses; AIDS, Security and Humanitarian Response; and Universal Access.