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AIDS as a global disaster

By Jim Chen

  IFRC, Our world, together against HIV  

?The link between vulnerability to HIV and humanitarian disaster has long been recognized; yet we have been slow as a global community in proactively involving organizations in the humanitarian world in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The focus of this World Disasters Report on HIV and AIDS is extremely timely.? — Noerine Kaleeba, Ph.D., Founder and Patron, TASO Uganda; Chair, ActionAid International Board of Trustees

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has just released its World Disasters Report 2008 to a "Focus on HIV and AIDS":

Published annually since 1993, the World Disasters Report brings together the latest trends, facts and analysis of contemporary crises — whether "natural" or man-made, quick-onset or chronic.

The AIDS epidemic is a disaster on many levels. In the most affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where prevalence rates reach 20 per cent, development gains are reversed and life expectancy may be halved. For specific groups of marginalized people — injecting drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with men — across the world, HIV rates are on the increase. Yet they often face stigma, criminalization and little, if any, access to HIV prevention and treatment services. As this report explains, HIV is a challenge to the humanitarian world whose task is to improve the lives of vulnerable people and to support them in strengthening their capacities and resilience. Disasters, man-made and ?natural?, exacerbate other drivers of the epidemic and can also increase people?s vulnerability to infection.

The World Disasters Report 2008 features:

• The challenge of HIV and AIDS
• The disaster of HIV
• The humanitarian interface: using the HIV lens
• HIV and population mobility: reality and myths
• Refugees and the impact of war on HIV
• Natural disasters: the complex links with HIV
• HIV and AIDS funding: where does the money go?

The report can be read online or downloaded in .pdf format. Hat tip: Imogen Foulkes, AIDS epidemic a "global disaster."

Full post as published by Jurisdynamics on June 26, 2008 (boomark / email).