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Millions are gathering worldwide to promote awareness of AIDS prevention on World AIDS Day.
Annually, World AIDS Day takes place on Dec. 1. The advocacy day is funded and supported by many organizations.
World AIDS Day is “one of the most recognized health days and a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services,” according to the World AIDS campaign.
The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988, the same year the International AIDS Society formed. The IAS is reputed as the world’s leading association of global dedication to the AIDS epidemic.
Every year, World AIDS Day emphasizes a particular theme, as determined by the World AIDS Campaign. This year’s theme is “Universal Access and Human Rights.”
The 2010 theme was decided based upon the input of Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General.
Ki-moon said consistency of human rights would lead to demand of treatments and decreased infections and deaths.
By acknowledging World AIDS Day this year, one also brings attention to the global crisis of human rights as well as the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Human rights in specific interaction with HIV/AIDS are those associated with injection drug users and sex workers. Both groups face a greater risk of HIV infection.
The 2010 World AIDS Day campaign of human rights advocacy endeavors to eliminate sex work and the risk of infection through injection. Simultaneously, the campaign seeks to eradicate the public discrimination directed to those who are infected.
World AIDS Day promotes general awareness because, despite the simplicity of being aware of HIV and AIDS, many citizens of the world do not understand the gravity of the epidemic.
Those infected with HIV total 33.3 million, 2.5 million of whom are children, according to UNAIDS.
On a more local scale, 10,428 Colorado residents are diagnosed with HIV and 4,238 live with the AIDS diagnosis, according to the HIV/AIDS charity AVERT.
Often times we do not understand the severity or reality of a situation until we see the numbers representing it, or a person affected by it.
Engaging in such ignorance is taking a risk; a risk nobody can afford in an environment where HIV is an increasing threat.
Knowledge of the AIDS epidemic is a choice, and one that is easy to make. In the case of HIV and AIDS, awareness means prevention.
Be aware of the causes of HIV.
HIV most commonly spreads through sexual transmission, transmission through blood and mother-to-child transmission, according to AVERT.
Be aware of how to prevent HIV.
AVERT published some means of preventing HIV infection. Some simple ways to reduce the risk of contracting HIV are to abstain from sex or delay first sex, be faithful to one partner or have fewer partners, or to use male or female condoms consistently.
While being preventative implies being aware, hundreds of events take place on World AIDS Day to further promote awareness of the disease and knowledge of its severity.
The Boulder County AIDS Project is hosting a day of events, most notably the World Aids Day Concert, featuring the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus.
The concert will take place in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church. Tickets cost $15 dollars.
At CU, Community Health will present several performances and speakers in Old Main, beginning at 5:00 p.m. A reception will be held in Eaton Humanities at 6:30 p.m. where free food and free, confidential HIV testing will be offered.
World AIDS Day is the time to educate oneself beyond textbooks and the media to become truly aware of this health epidemic.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Devon Barrow at Devon.barrow@colorado.edu.
