1. AIDS is a worldwide disease
AIDS is a disease that exists throughout the world. Today 38 million people are infected by HIV/AIDS. Whereas HIV/AIDS is a disease existing throughout the world, it is more defined and prevalent in poor countries and regions, particularly in Africa. Of all people living with HIV/AIDS 70% are living in Sub-Saharan Africa.
2. Young people are affected mostly
UNAIDS reports that, of the 37,8 million people estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS worldwide at the end of 2003, approximately one third, 12,1 million are under the age of 25. The youth are the ones most affected by the pandemic, which endangers their role in economic growth. Economic empowerment of youth in order to achieve financial independence is important in combating HIV/AIDS since this empowers young people to make decisions about their sexuality.
3. Women
Biologically, the risk of becoming infected with HIV during unprotected intercourse is greater for women than men, especially younger women. In Sub-Saharan Africa three quarters of all young people with HIV/AIDS are women. The availability of female condoms in campaigning against HIV/AIDS is an important message in empowering young women to make decisions over issues of sexual relations and when to engage in sex, as opposed to leaving all the decision-making powers to males where only male condoms are available.
4. Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS
There is an estimated 15 Million children living today that have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS, having lost one or both parents to the epidemic. Most of these children (12 Million) live in sub-Saharan Africa.
5. Access to prevention and treatment
Only 7% of people living with HIV/AIDS in need of anti retroviral (ARV) therapy have access to this treatment. IUSY member organisations commit themselves to ensuring accessibility to cheaper and affordable medicaments by lobbying for the financing of medicaments. This financing will make the medicaments universally accessible to both rich and poor countries as well as lead to the definition of international policy on issues of HIV/AIDS.
6. Affect on Society
HIV/AIDS affects various sectors of society such as employment, social relations, education and economic growth. HIV/AIDS is changing the society, but the current economical and social situation in the developing countries are making the fast spread possible. AIDS is caused by HIV and can be treated by medicaments, but the immense poverty in the developing countries is enabling this disease to become a very dangerous world wide pandemic.
7. Patent rights on medicaments
Most pharmaceutical companies are not willing to produce medicaments cheaper because primarily they are interested in profit. HIV/AIDS is not a matter to be left to market economy, but it is a human rights issue that demands urgent and conceited efforts by the international community. Patent rights on HIV/AIDS ARV medicaments must be lifted to enable all countries and regions to produce affordable and accessible medicaments. The research in the programme combating HIV/AIDS has to be financed by the international institutions such as UNAIDS and the World Bank.
8. Education on prevention and sexual education
There is a dangerous lack of knowledge and information among young people. In Sub-Saharan Africa only 8% of students have access to education on prevention. We demand that all educational institutions must incorporate HIV/AIDS education in their curricula at an early age.
IUSY demands