Messages
Message by the President of the General Assembly, H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, on the Occasion of World AIDS Day
We live in a world in which 1 in 5 of our fellow human beings live on less than US$1 a
day; a world in which 1.2 billion people won’t have any clean water to drink today; a world
in which 113 million children won’t attend school today.
Our world will never be secure unless we tackle poverty, injustice and inequality. And
HIV/AIDS creates all three. It is a growing problem that killed 3 million people this year.
Every human life lost is a tragedy. Defeating HIV/AIDS would indeed improve the condition of
all mankind.
HIV/AIDS affects not only the individual but the entire community. As more and more teachers
die from HIV/AIDS, children are robbed of an education. Farmers dying of HIV/AIDS are unable
to provide enough food for their families and communities. It is devastating economies in the
developing world widening the gap between the world’s richest and poorest countries.
In Sub-Saharan Africa the spread of HIV is most severe. So as some parts of the world
progress, life expectancy in this region is only 46 years because of the ravages of HIV/AIDS.
The region accounts for 62% of global infections, 65% of new infections and 72% of total
deaths. It is a tragedy that this region accounts for nine out of ten children living with the
disease because HIV infections are up to six times higher for young women than for young men.
As a result, nearly 1000 innocent children die in each day, everyday in Africa.
It is sad to note that some still find it difficult or embarrassing to talk about HIV. As we
try to get treatments to people, we learn that many are simply too frightened of HIV to get
tested. Some women would rather not get the treatment they need – to save their lives, or
stop their children from getting HIV - than cope with the fear and stigma of HIV.
The UN stands ready to act on behalf of more than 17 million women living with HIV/AIDS
worldwide, and the additional 225 young women between 15 and 24 who will become infected
every hour today.
If we are to beat AIDS we must indeed act, and the time to act is now.
In 2005, donors agreed to support free basic healthcare, universal access to AIDS treatment,
and primary education for all. Developing countries agreed to develop national plans to
defeat the spread of the disease. The challenge for all of us is to make good on our
commitments and work in closer partnership towards our common goal. Civil society, NGOs, the
media, private sector and faith groups have an important role in promoting public awareness
and holding leaders to account for their promises.
There are some very practical things we can all do to make a difference. We need to establish
healthy behavior when our children are young rather than ask them to change later – to have
safe intercourse, to be able to plan for their families. We know that gender and power
relations put pressure on young people to marry young, to opt out of education, or to have
intercourse.
Young people also face barriers to access services provided by governments or they cannot
afford them and fear being judged when they go to a clinic. This severely limits access to
contraception and leads to the high rates of unintended pregnancy and HIV in young people.
Almost 140 million women do not have access to contraception – so they have no choice in
deciding if and when to have children. If world leaders honor their commitments and live up
to their promises, then young people would have the reproductive health services and
information to meet their needs.
To halt the spread of HIV/AIDS we need a culture change in health service provision and
equitable relations between the sexes. We need a comprehensive approach to tackle HIV/AIDS
because there is no single intervention that will influence the behavior of young people or
improve their sexual health. First and foremost, young people need a good education; when our
children are in school they are much less likely to be infected by HIV than those who opt out
or have no choice. Yet over 100 million are not in school right now.
The youth are the future, they will shape the future - we are all accountable to act now to
protect their health and wellbeing.