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Putting HIV/AIDS on the G8 Agenda   
June 11, 2007— The fight against AIDS and other global diseases in Africa received top billing at the June 6-8 Group of Eight (G8) Summit in Heiligendamm, Germany. G8 leaders were joined by heads of state from several African nations for an announcement of $60 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Africa. That financial pledge included President George Bush’s recent announcement that he would seek to double the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to $30 billion over the next five years when that initiative is renewed. Despite the promises, the most recent G8 pledge contained “no timetables, benchmarks, or specifics as to how this money will be allocated,” according to InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. InterAction is calling for “less talk and more action” to ensure that promises to fight AIDS are “more than empty words.” CEDPA is a member of InterAction. Global health advocates and experts are calling for increased commitments to combat AIDS because of the enormous need that exists despite recent advancements in reaching people worldwide with AIDS prevention, treatment and care. Today, nearly 40 million people are living with HIV, and 63 percent of them are in sub-Saharan Africa. Women and girls have emerged as the newest face of AIDS. Young women age 15-24 in sub-Saharan Africa are now more than three times more likely to be HIV-positive than young men of that age. In the United States, AIDS is the top cause of death for African American women between 25 and 34. CEDPA has joined many leaders on the frontlines against AIDS, empowering women with the tools and skills to fight the epidemic.
With funding by PEPFAR and the U.S. Agency for International Development, CEDPA leads the Positive Living project in Nigeria to improve home-based care for people living with HIV and AIDS. Key partners including the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and the Anglican Communion in Nigeria are expanding community-based HIV/AIDS services and building the capacity of local organizations to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS, their families and communities in Nigeria. CEDPA also heads an initiative to strengthen women leaders so that they are better equipped to lead advocacy and health programs to confront AIDS. Some 25 women leaders from around the world will arrive at CEDPA’s Washington, DC headquarters next month to attend a workshop that will build their skills and improve their technical knowledge. The July 16-Aug 10 Global Women’s Leadership HIV/AIDS workshop is part of a series of trainings that will be held over the next several years in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Partners in this initiative include the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) , International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) , National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) and UNAIDS-led Global Coalition on Women and AIDS. Find out more about CEDPA’s projects in Africa and our training and capacity building program. |
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