Transcript of remarks at the meeting with Russian NGOs involved in HIV/AIDS control, Moscow Association SANAM, (unofficial transcript)

SG (question to the representative of the "Street Children"): What is your target age area when you work with children?

Answer by representative of the "Street Children": Four to 18-20 years.

SG: Thank you very much for this very good presentation. Do you try to get involved those who have already fallen ill into your activities?

Answer by an NGO representative: The majority of our staff and assistants are HIV-positive themselves.

SG: And I think that it came through very clearly that you need help. The whole society has to be mobilized, to get involved. And how do you see progress? Do you see general awareness, and that the leadership is getting involved? When I talk of leadership, I am not talking only of the political leadership - heads of companies, prominent people in society, teachers and others. And if you challenge heads of big companies, for example, to become engaged by starting with their own workers and their families, because really we have to work in partnership to be able to defeat this disease.

Remark by NAN Association representative: We are having talks with a very big oil company YUKOS trying to persuade it to contribute to such charities as "Street Children" and others. They understand that it is easier to make social basis healthier and make business than to just sell oil.

Q: We have a very serious problem here in Russia in creating juvenile justice, which practically does not exist yet. Could the UN help Russia with this? And how do you asses the level of it in Russia?

SG: That is interesting. We just ended a Special Session of General Assembly on Children. And I see my colleague from UNICEF is also here. It amounted to a very strong programme - "Say Yes to Children," a real serious campaign. Perhaps, we should be out for some 100 million signatures of people around the world supporting the effort to alarm people. Of course, different countries have different levels in terms of regulatory machinery and protection of children, but there are very good experiences and examples that one can share. I do not know enough about the peculiar situation in Russia to comment. But I will ask my colleagues from UNDP and UNICEF who are here to try and get some helpful material. And even in my own contacts, I will raise this issue with the leadership when I come across them. And of course, the legal basis for the protection of children is much easier to those of you who are fighting for their welfare. Once again, thank you very much again, and I am very happy that so many young people are involved in the struggle, because children listen to their peers much more than the old ones with gray hair. *****