World AIDS Day 2012!

By Amplify_Staff

Dec 1, 2012

About World AIDS Day

Getting to Zero: What will it take to get to an AIDS Free Generation?
Each year, December 1 marks World AIDS Day, when activists around the world come together to raise awareness of the global HIV epidemic, fight stigma and discrimination, and advocate for increased efforts to support comprehensive HIV education and prevention.

The ongoing theme of “Getting to Zero,” supported by UNAIDS’ multi-year HIV/AIDS strategy for Zero New Infections, Zero AIDS Related Deaths, and Zero Discrimination, is an opportunity for young people to speak out about how to get to an AIDS Free Generation. Thirty years into the epidemic, we are seeing notable declines in HIV prevalence among young people, as described in the recent UNAIDS report, Results. This is fabulous news! At the same time, our efforts to prevent HIV must not falter when 40 percent of all new HIV infections are still among youth age 15-24. According to the report: “Young people are a fulcrum. They remain at the centre of the epidemic and they have the power, through their leadership, to definitively change the course of the AIDS epidemic.” It goes on to urge young people to engage in and lead the fight against HIV.
To find out more about World AIDS Day, go to http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/world-aids-day/

To read the new UNAIDS report, go to: http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/epidemiology/2012/gr2012/JC2434_WorldAIDSday_results_en.pdf.

It’s easy to get involved on World AIDS Day:

Join Advocates’ World AIDS Day Blog-a-thon! Click here to blog now!

From December 1-7, Advocates will host its annual World AIDS Day Blog-a-thon on Amplify. Young people need to be involved in building the roads that can take get us all the way to an AIDS Free Generation – that means engaging in policy dialogue to inform laws and funding on HIV/AIDS; participating in program design, implementation and evaluation; and reaching out to other young people and adult allies to raise awareness about the needs of young people and what works to empower young people to prevent new infections.

This World AIDS Day, make YOUR voice heard by blogging on Amplify! What are the best ways to prevent new infections among young people? What constitutes youth-friendly HIV services? What is needed to address the particular needs of young women and girls? Of young people living with HIV? Of young gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth? Of disabled youth? Of ALL young people? What policies are needed to provide an enabling environment in which all young people can access sexual and reproductive health information and services free of discrimination and stigma?

You can speak out by joining Advocates’ World AIDS Day Blog-a-thon! Post a blog or a picture here to share your perspectives about an AIDS Free Generation.

Sign our petition urging President Obama to stand up and fight for young people this World AIDS Day and every day!

The petition asks President Obama to:

• Commit to robust US domestic and global funding for HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, and care services;
• Prioritize comprehensive information and services for all young people, including young marginalized populations, within HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, and care efforts in the US and around the world; and
• Engage young people in all decision-making processes for US domestic and global HIV and AIDS programs and policies, including calling for the creation of the first-ever US National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day on April 10, 2013.

Spread the word and help us get others to sign the petition too! Share this message on Facebook and Twitter.
Why is it important that President Obama hear from you?

• Because current funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in the US and globally falls short of the need.
• Because too many young people in the United States and around the world are denied their right to comprehensive sexuality education to help protect them from HIV and AIDS.
• And because it’s unacceptable that 40 percent of new HIV infections worldwide occur among young people aged 15-24, yet young people are rarely included in program and policy decisions that directly affect them.

Learn More about US and global HIV/AIDS by clicking on Advocates for Youth’s fact sheets here:

Young People Living with HIV Around the World
English: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/storage/advfy/documents/young2.pdf
French: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/storage/advfy/documents/young_people_living_with_hiv_french.pdf

Youth and the Global HIV Pandemic
English: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/storage/advfy/documents/youthhivpandemic.pdf