IRC Marks World AIDS Day 2008

December 1 is World AIDS Day and International Rescue Committee programs all over the world are marking the day with awareness-raising activities about preventing the spread of HIV and supporting people living with the disease. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Facts

• Worldwide, 33 million people are living with HIV.

• 50% of those infected are women.

• 2.7 million new cases of HIV were reported in 2007.

• Young women now make up 60% of the 15- to 24- year olds living with HIV/AIDS.

The IRC’s Approach

The IRC has been addressing HIV throughout the quarter century of the epidemic. The IRC works to prevent the spread of HIV and support the well-being of conflict-affected persons living with the infection. The IRC does this through prevention, treatment, care and support programs in Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Thailand, and Pakistan.

As of June 2008, the IRC provides antiretroviral treatment to 1058 adults and children in 8 countries – Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania and Uganda.

Learn More

• Stories from the field about the IRC's HIV/AIDS programs 
• World AIDS Day - United Nations
• The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS
• HIV in Humanitarian Situations
• 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 
• IRC Marks World AIDS Day 2007