Lighting the Fight Against HIV/AIDS

This year’s World AIDS Day will continue to emphasize the critical need to uphold the fundamental human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and address discrimination wherever it appears—in communities, workplaces, and society at large.

World AIDS Day coincides with the release of the latest UNAIDS report, which indicates that the global AIDS epidemic is shifting. The report shows a decrease in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, contributing to the stabilization of the global number of people living with HIV. According to the 2010 UNAIDS report, 2.6 million people were newly infected with HIV, a 20% reduction from the 3.1 million in 1999. Similarly, 1.8 million people died from AIDS-related causes in 2009, down from 2.1 million in 2004.

From New York and Amsterdam to Beijing and Johannesburg, World AIDS Day—Tuesday, December 1—will be marked this year with a series of simple ceremonies honoring the memory of more than 25 million people who have died from HIV/AID — and shining a light on the human rights of the 33 million living with the virus today. An international campaign to spotlight World AIDS Day has been organized by a partnership among amfAR, UNAIDS, the World AIDS Campaign, and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The Light for Rights campaign, as it is called, urges all of us to “keep the light on HIV and human rights,” and involves the dimming of public lights, followed by their return to full brightness.

In New York, the Light for Rights event will take place in the early evening of December 1 at South Street Seaport, where dignitaries such as UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon and amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole will speak about the epidemic and watch as the lights of the Brooklyn Bridge are extinguished and then restored—a symbol of memory and recurrent hope.

Similar ceremonies will be staged in cities around the globe, including London, Vienna, and Cape Town. amfAR and its partner organizations have created a special World AIDS Day website (www.lightforrights.org) that provides facts about HIV/AIDS, descriptions of how the Light for Rights activities can be organized in other locations, offers social networking ideas for local activists, and provides
templates for op-eds and letters to the editor.

Since HIV/AIDS was first reported almostthree decades ago, the virus has decimated populations around the globe and results in approximately 2 million deaths each year.

In 2007, the last year for which figures are available, 2.7 million people were newly infected with HIV, almost half of whom were young people between the ages of 15 and 24. The number of new infections continues to outpace the number of people receiving treatment. 

Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, noted that these positive trends are the result of decisive actions and informed strategies, though he emphasized the need for continued efforts to accelerate progress, as these gains are still fragile.

Additionally, Pope Benedict’s recent remarks on the potential role of condoms in preventing HIV have been welcomed by many AIDS organizations, sparking hope for further progress in combating the epidemic.

Global March Chairperson Kailash Satyarthi also highlighted the importance of protecting vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS, particularly those forced into child labor due to the loss of their parents. He praised ongoing efforts to support these children and encouraged the global community to participate in World AIDS Day activities.

For more information, you can explore resources on the UNAIDS website or visit platforms like World AIDS Campaign and World AIDS Day for additional tools and updates

For campaigning tools, links and information for the 2010 World AIDS Day and HIV/AIDS in general, Global March recommends visiting the following web sites:

World AIDS Campaign

World AIDS Day

ILO Programme on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work