World leaders, from both industrialized and developing countries have made commitments to step up their efforts to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. They are beginning to increase the political leadership and the resources needed to fight the disease. Significant progress is being made in charting the past and future course of the pandemic, in providing free antiretroviral treatment to those who need it, and in expanding the coverage of prevention services.
But children are still missing out.
Every day
3.There are nearly 1,800 new HIV infections in children under 15, mostly
from mother-to-child transmission
4.1,400 children under 15 die of AIDS-related illness
5.More than 6,000 young people aged 15–24 are newly infected with
HIV
After more than 20 years
6.Less than 10 per cent of pregnant women are being offered services to
prevent transmission of HIV to their infants
7.Less than 10 per cent of the children who have been orphaned or made vulnerable
by AIDS receive public support or services
8.Less than one third of young women aged 15–24 in sub-Saharan Africa
fully understand how to avoid the disease.
Millions of children, adolescents and young people in the path of the pandemic are at risk and in need of protection. AIDS is redefining the very meaning of childhood for millions, depriving children of many of their human rights – of the care, love and affection of their parents; of their teachers and other role models; of education and options for the future; of protection against exploitation and abuse.
The world must act now, urgently and decisively, to ensure that the next
generation of children is AIDS-free.
The UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS Campaign will
9.Provide a child-focused framework for nationally owned programmes around
the ‘Four Ps’, urgent imperatives that can make a real difference
in the lives and life chances of children affected by HIV/AIDS.
o Prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission
By 2010, offer appropriate services to 80 per cent of women in need
o Provide paediatric treatment
By 2010, provide either antiretroviral treatment or cotrimoxazole, or both,
to 80 per cent of children in need
o Prevent infection among adolescents and young people
By 2010, reduce the percentage of young people living with HIV by 25 per
cent globally
o Protect and support children affected by HIV/AIDS
By 2010, reach 80 per cent of children most in need
10.Provide a platform for child-focused advocacy on global AIDS issues
such as
o Mobilizing international resources to combat HIV/AIDS. This means not
only a significant increase in official development assistance overall,
but also a bigger proportion allocated to HIV/AIDS and, specifically, to
protect, care for, support and provide treatment for children affected by
the disease.
o Supporting corporations as they develop socially responsible policies
and programmes for workers, their children and communities.
o Advocating for governments, donors and international and non-governmental
organizations to stand by the commitment to come as close as possible to
the goal of universal access to treatment by 2010; and supporting countries
in accessing appropriate and affordable medicines, especially formulations
and diagnostics adapted to the specific needs of children.
o Campaigning for education and health services to be strengthened, and
for governments and agencies to work towards the elimination of user fees
for primary education and, where appropriate, health-care services.
o Putting the protection, care, support and treatment of children, adolescents
and young people at the centre of the HIV/AIDS agenda.
11.Put the missing face of children affected by AIDS at the centre of the HIV/AIDS agenda and make sure that the voices of children and young people are heard on the issues that affect them.
Following the appeals made at the 2005 G-8 Summit, the 2005 World Summit, and other declarations and commitments on HIV/AIDS, UNICEF, as part of its work as a cosponsoring agency of UNAIDS, calls upon every part of global society to join in a campaign to support national efforts to ensure that this is the last generation of children that must bear the burden of AIDS.
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