<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Diaz, Clara</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:diazc@unaids.org">diazc@unaids.org</a>></span><br>Date: Tue, Dec 11, 2012 at 8:26 PM<br>
Subject: Today's News (2012.12.11ex)<br>To: <br><br><br>
<u></u>
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="FR">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Please
find attached the following AIDS-related articles compiled by UNAIDS<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">1.
The Monitor, Botswana - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Tlou advises students to harness healthcare
opportunities<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">2.
Agência de Noticias da Aids, Brazil - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">ONU conclui série de
atividades sobre violência sexual e de gênero no Amazonas<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST <u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">1.
All Africa.com - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Africa: How We Can Eliminate New HIV Infections Among
Children By 2015<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">2.
Independent Online, SA - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Behaviour reduces spread of HIV – study<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">3.
New Vision, Uganda - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Uganda: Plan for the Blind, Deaf On HIV
Prevention <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">4.
L’Express de Madagascar - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35">Madagascar: VIH - Les homosexuels au banc des accusés <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">5.
Gulfnews - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Pregnant Saudi women to undergo HIV tests <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">ASIA AND PACIFIC<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">1.
Business Standard, India - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">A changing enemy<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">2.
Channel News Asia - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">More stepping forward for anonymous HIV testing: AfA<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">3.
Fiji Times - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Alarm on AIDS<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">EUROPE<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">1.
The Guardian, UK - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Do we actually want to rid Europe of its sex workers?<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">2. Le Monde,
France - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35">Le PS choisit les réformes de société pour se faire entendre<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">3.
ABC, Spain - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Desiguales ante el tratamiento para el VIH <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="ES-TRAD">LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">1.
El País, Costa Rica - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Lucha contra el VIH en el país necesita más
recursos<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">2.
Milenio, Mexico - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Busca Mancera disminuir número de enfermos de
SIDA en el DF <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">3.
Prensa Latina, Cuba - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Diputados cubanos consideran prioritaria la
prevención del VIH-Sida <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">NORTH AMERICA<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">1.
The New York Times - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">For Marriage Equality, the Work’s Not
Just in Court<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">2.
The Huffington Post - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Dissolving Condom In Development At University
Of Washington<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">3.
The Washington Post - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Two continents, one soul<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS WEB.SITE<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">1.
UNAIDS – </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS calls for zero discrimination and ensuring rights
to health, dignity and security on Human Rights Day <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">2.
UNAIDS - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">The 31st meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating
Board opens<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">3.
UNAIDS - </span></font></span><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Women out loud: How women living with HIV will help the
world end AIDS <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">===========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">===========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Tlou advises students to harness healthcare
opportunities<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">The Monitor, Botswana<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Baboki
Kayawe<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">UNAIDS
regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa Professor Sheila Tlou has
implored healthcare students to take advantage of the critical shortage of
professionals in their field.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Officiating
at the first ever Botswana healthcare students symposium organised by students
of the University of Botswana School of Medicine last week, Tlou said an
estimated 4.2 million health workers are needed globally, with 1.5 million
needed here in Africa.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">"This
critical shortage is recognised as one of the most fundamental constraints to
achieving progress on health and reaching health and development goals,"
she said. She advanced that given the acute shortage of personnel, health
professionals have to collaborate, whether in teaching, research, direct health
care or community service.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Commending
the students for convening the conference, which ends today, Tlou also
applauded the country for her remarkable progress in the global response to
HIV/AIDS. The UNAIDS 2012 Global AIDS report released last week indicates that
Botswana has seen a 71 percent reduction in HIV/AIDS prevalence. Other high
prevalence countries in the region like Malawi scored 73 percent reduction
while South Africa achieved a 41 percent drop in HIV/AIDS prevalence.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Moreover,
Tlou said her organisation and the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will collaborate with the Ministries of Health
and Education in 2013 to ensure comprehensive sexuality education in schools.
The healthcare students symposium officially opened on Wednesday to focus on
non-communicable diseases, health inequalities, professionalism and career
development for healthcare students.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
initiative recognises the leadership role students can play in reshaping the
healthcare system in Botswana. A release from the School of Medicine says,
"based on the understanding of the current challenges we face as a
country, and also acknowledging that young people in all countries are both a
major human resource for development and key agents of social change, economic
and technological development, we have decided to convene a symposium for all
young healthcare students".The conference brought together Batswana
medical students studying both in Botswana and South Africa, Institutes of
Health Sciences and Boitekanelo College as well as healthcare professionals to
discuss the local healthcare system, mental health reforms and equity in
healthcare, among others.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_UNAIDS2"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="ES-TRAD">2</span></font></b></a><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="ES-TRAD"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">ONU conclui série de atividades sobre
violência sexual e de gênero no Amazonas<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Agência de Noticias da Aids, Brazil<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Foram
concluídas, na semana passada, diversas atividades de sensibilização sobre a
violência contra mulheres realizadas no Estado do Amazonas. Elas fazem parte da
agenda do ACNUR (Alto Comissariado das Nações Unidas para Refugiados) e do
UNAIDS (Programa Conjunto das Nações Unidas sobre HIV/AIDS) para os “16
Dias de Ativismo contra a Violência Sexual e de Gênero”, uma iniciativa
da sociedade civil que acontece há 22 anos entre os dias 25 de novembro (Dia
Internacional pela Eliminação da Violência contra a Mulher) e 10 de dezembro
(Dia Internacional de Direitos Humanos).<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Com
o apoio da Cáritas Arquidiocesana de Manaus, cerca de 50 refugiadas e
refugiados – a maioria de origem colombiana – vivendo na capital
amazonense participaram de duas atividades (uma para as mulheres e outra para
os homens) nas quais foram esclarecidos diferentes conceitos sobre violência e
debatidos temas sensíveis como machismo, papéis sociais dos gêneros masculino e
feminino e disputa de poder nos relacionamentos afetivos e nas relações
sexuais, além da vulnerabilidade ao HIV. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Em
Tabatinga, cidade localizada na fronteira entre Brasil, Colômbia e Peru, as
oficinas de trabalho organizadas pelo UNAIDS e ACNUR em parceria com o Núcleo
de Estudos de Gênero Pagu da UNICAMP (Universidade de Campinas) reuniram
autoridades das áreas de segurança e assistência social, representantes do
Ministério Público e da sociedade civil, integrantes das Forças Armadas e da
Força Nacional de Segurança, acadêmicos e pesquisadores. Nestes encontros,
foram discutidos o impacto da violência contra as mulheres nos deslocamentos
forçados, os procedimentos para o reconhecimento do refúgio e a promoção da
igualdade de gênero e da saúde da mulher. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Nas
atividades de Manaus, as refugiadas e os refugiados relataram casos de
violência contra mulheres (inclusive episódios pessoais) e conheceram melhor
seus direitos e deveres no Brasil em relação a este tema – como a Lei
Maria da Penha, que criminaliza a violência sexual e de gênero, e os serviços
de Disque Denúncia. Também receberam folhetos com explicações didáticas sobre
violência sexual e de gênero, incluindo endereços e telefones dos serviços de
atenção às mulheres no estado do Amazonas – centros de referência e
delegacias especializadas. O vídeo da campanha Mulheres & Direitos de 2012,
foi assistido e motivou discussões. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Os
participantes elogiaram a iniciativa. “Conheço mulheres que são
maltratadas por seus companheiros. Não tinha informações sobre meus direitos, e
agora me sinto melhor preparada para enfrentar estes problemas”, afirmou
uma refugiada colombiana que vive em Manaus há cerca de dois anos. “Como
colombiana, eu e minha família sofremos muito com a violência. Estou muito
feliz com este tipo de iniciativa”, disse outra, que está em Manaus para
visitar sua filha e seus três netos que vivem na cidade como refugiados.
“Devemos amar as mulheres e as crianças, tratando-os bem. Quando há amor
e compreensão, tudo floresce”, avaliou um refugiado, que acaba de chegar
a Manaus. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Evidências
colhidas pelo ACNUR em suas operações ao redor do mundo mostram que muitas
mulheres refugiadas sofreram ou conhecem pessoas que sofreram violência sexual
e de gênero. E no seu processo de deslocamento, as refugiadas tornam-se
vulneráveis a este tipo de violência, seja no seu país de origem ou mesmo no
país de refúgio. Os traumas causados pela violência dificultam a integração de
refugiadas e refugiadas no país de refúgio, reduzindo a autoestima de homens,
mulheres e crianças. Por isso, é necessário conhecer mecanismos de prevenção e
enfrentamento da violência para possibilitar uma perspectiva de vida com
qualidade.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Para
o Representante do ACNUR no Brasil, Andrés Ramirez, “é muito importante
sensibilizar os homens neste processo de compreensão da importância de mulheres
e meninas serem plenamente respeitadas. O tema da prevenção à violência sexual
e de gênero é de todos e todas”, disse Ramirez. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“Muitas
dessas pessoas não conhecem seus direitos e têm dificuldade de entendê-los. É
fundamental falar diretamente com nossa população de interesse, explicando
quais são as leis vigentes no Brasil. Além disso, é preciso deixar claro para
homens e mulheres que essa violência não é normal e não deve ser aceita. Este é
um país onde as mulheres podem se sentir seguras e têm o apoio da lei para
enfrentar esta violência, inclusive a domiciliar”, disse a chefe da
Unidade de Programa do ACNUR no Brasil, Renata Pires.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Para
o UNAIDS, a iniciativa foi importante para ressaltar os vínculos entre
violência sexual e de gênero e a vulnerabilidade ao vírus da AIDS e a outras
doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. “As refugiadas sofrem violência
doméstica, e tanto elas como os homens convivem com violência e precisam
conhecer seus direitos e deveres. As oficinas foram muito esclarecedoras, pois
mostraram a relação entre a violência e o HIV, informando às refugiadas que
elas têm direitos e onde devem buscá-los”, avaliou a oficial de Programa
do UNAIDS, Adele Benzaken.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Segundo
Pedro Chequer, Coordenador do UNAIDS no Brasil, a violência contra a mulher tem
sido reconhecida como importante fator de vulnerabilidade acrescida a infecção
pelo HIV e outras DSTs. Ressaltou que o Escritório do UNAIDS no Brasil, em
parceria com agências da ONU e outros parceiros nacionais e internacionais, tem
envidado esforços objetivando difundir conceitos sobre a equidade de gênero e
alertar para a necessidade de mobilização social com vistas a efetiva
implementação da legislação vigente e estabelecimento de uma nova cultura sobre
o tema. A parceria com o ACNUR se destaca e se dá também no campo prático, com
realização de atividades de campo. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Os
eventos incluíram apresentação de vídeos do UNAIDS e da campanha
“Amplifique Suas Vozes”, lançada pelo ACNUR em apoio aos “16
Dias de Ativismo”. Também foi exibido pronunciamento da Diretora do ACNUR
para as Américas, Marta Juarez, no qual ela ressalta a importância de entender
a violência de gênero como um fato causador do deslocamento forçado e a
necessidade de enfrentá-la para garantir uma melhor proteção às mulheres
refugiadas e deslocadas internamente em seus próprios países. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">De
acordo com ACNUR, cerca de 50% dos refugiados no mundo são mulheres e meninas
que muitas vezes são vítimas da violência de gênero antes mesmo de deixar seu
país de origem. Este tipo de violência é utilizado em situações de conflito
para amedrontar, humilhar ou castigar as mulheres e suas comunidades. O
deslocamento forçado pode ainda obrigar as mulheres a se envolver em atos
sexuais por questões de sobrevivência, expondo-as ao HIV e ao risco de viver em
um ambiente de estigma e discriminação. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">No
Brasil, cerca de 25% dos 4.600 refugiados reconhecidos pelo governo federal são
mulheres e meninas. No marco do seu Programa de Reassentamento Solidário, o país
adota um procedimento rápido de análise para casos de mulheres em situação de
risco - o que já permitiu o reassentamento de dezenas de mulheres e seus
familiares. O processo de reconhecimento de refúgio no Brasil também dá
especial atenção às mulheres vítimas de violência de gênero, que são
consideradas um grupo vulnerável. Ademais, elas são protegidas pela Lei Maria
da Penha e todas têm acesso aos serviços públicos de saúde sexual reprodutiva e
HIV/AIDS.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><i><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic" lang="ES-TRAD">Redação da Agência de Notícias da Aids, com informações do
site do Unaids no Brasil<u></u><u></u></span></font></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">===========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><u></u><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">AFRICA</span></font></b></span><u></u><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> AND MIDDLE EAST<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">===========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Africa: How We Can Eliminate New HIV
Infections Among Children By 2015<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">All Africa.com<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">03/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">By
Nicholas Muraguri is Director, Global Secretariat to Eliminate HIV Among
Children.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Analysis<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">"Much
has happened since the movement to eliminate new HIV infections among children
was launched by UNAIDS in 2009."<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">I'll
start with the good news: less children are contracting HIV now than they were
two years ago. This is due to country commitment, ownership and mobilization,
political leaders breaking the conspiracy of silence and advocating for what's
best, the strategic engagement of women living with HIV and the best science.
All of these efforts have gone a long way to help realize rapid results: Among
the 22 high-burden countries that are the focus of the Global Plan Towards the
Elimination of New HIV Infections Among Children by 2015 and Keeping Their
Mothers Alive, there has been a 24% reduction in new HIV infections. 24 months,
24% reduction.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Much
has happened since the movement to eliminate new HIV infections among children
was launched by UNAIDS in 2009. Between 2009 and 2011, anti-retroviral (ARV)
prophylaxis prevented 409,000 children from acquiring HIV infection in low and
middle-income countries. Countries like Burundi, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa,
Togo and Zambia achieved from 40-59% reduction in the number of children
acquiring HIV infections.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">However,
the news is not so good for those children who do in fact contract HIV.
Worldwide, 330,000 children were newly infected with HIV in 2011, of which
300,000 were in sub-Saharan Africa. That's compared to less than 200 in western
and central Europe. In the same period, 230,000 children died of AIDS-related
causes in the world, of which 200,000 were in sub-Saharan Africa and less than
100 in Europe. Worldwide, there are 3.3 million children under the age of 15
years of age living with HIV, of which 3.1 million are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Despite our progress, these are startling statistics.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">The
World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children under two years of age
begin HIV treatment right away, but in 2011, only 28% of children who were
eligible for HIV treatment received it, compared to 56% of adults. HIV in
children is more aggressive than among adults. Half the infected children die
before the age of two if they do not receive the relevant drugs. Of the 330,000
children who acquired HIV in 2011, it could mean death within two years for
half of them. In every society, children are one of the best indicators of
inequity. In HIV, these inequities portray a grave picture for the children.
They are a poignant reminder that children, who are the most vulnerable in
society, need the most attention.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">There
are many reasons why children have less access to treatment than adults. One is
that their mother is living with HIV and may be unable to care for the child.
This is one of the reasons why early treatment for women is important, as it
benefits not only mothers, but their children. Studies show that children whose
mothers die are at increased risk of death--regardless of their HIV status. If
a mother dies, the child is likely to shuffle from one caregiver to another,
diminishing the chances for care.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Another
reason is the complexity of pediatric HIV diagnosis and treatment. Because the
infant's immune system is still developing, a special type of test is needed to
confirm that he or she has acquired HIV. These tests are only available in a
few facilities in each country, and often take 2 to 3 months to receive
results. This is prohibitive where women have to travel long distances to reach
clinics. In comparison, HIV tests for adults return results in only 20 minutes.
There is an urgent need to develop better diagnostics for children so results
are available faster and through a less cumbersome process.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Yet
another reason is health care providers' lack of training in pediatric HIV
management. There is an urgent need to strengthen their capacities to diagnose
the child, initiate treatment and manage the child's progress.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">While
the efforts to prevent children's HIV transmission are progressing, efforts to
provide treatment to those children who need it lag far behind. Therefore we need
to ensure the large inequity between adults and children is vastly reduced, and
children have access to as much care as adults, if not more. Only then can we
reach the Global Plan's targets for 2015.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_AfricaMiddleEast2"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">2<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Behaviour reduces spread of HIV – study<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Independent Online, SA<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">11/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Johannesburg
- The spread of HIV can be reduced by changing the behaviour of infected
people, a study has found. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
five-year study was conducted by two University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
scientists and involved almost 2000 participants. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">It
found that initially, 55 percent of the sexually active people in the group
practised unprotected sex. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
study used the information, motivation and behaviour skills (IMB) approach to
behaviour change, developed by professors at the University of Connecticut, in
the United States. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">It
found at the end of the five-year period that there was an 88 percent reduction
in unprotected sex between the HIV-infected participants and their partners. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">One
of the University of Connecticut professors, Jeffrey Fisher, said in a
statement too many HIV prevention programmes depended on providing patients
with information only. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“This
significant reduction in risky sexual behaviour... demonstrates that providing
a tailored, rigorously evaluated intervention based on a combination of
information, motivation and skills can be a useful addition to the HIV
prevention strategy in South Africa.” <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">UKZN
professor Sandy Pillay said HIV prevention needed to be promoted among those
diagnosed as positive. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“This
study provides an evidence-based approach which could be used for this
important link in HIV prevention,” Pillay said. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“After
all, HIV spread is totally dependent on behaviour and effecting behaviour
change has to be the foundation of any HIV prevention strategy.” <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health of the United
States, in collaboration with the University of Connecticut and the
KwaZulu-Natal health department. – Sapa<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_AfricaMiddleEast3"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">3<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_AfricaMiddleEast4"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Uganda: Plan for the
Blind, Deaf On HIV Prevention <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">New Vision, Uganda<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">By
Abel Bizimana,<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">JULIE
(not real name) is a 14-year-old girl with hearing impairment. Initially she
was raped and later repeatedly coerced into sex with gifts and threats by a
businessman.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">She
couldn't communicate that to her parents and peers. Julie's sign language
teacher discovered the problem and assisted parents to seek for justice.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Her
parents discouraged legal action citing double embarrassment. The medical
report proved the man to be HIV positive and hence Julie's future can be
predicted.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Julie,
like other people with disabilities is perceived to be sexually inactive; but
like any other persons, Julie is not only sexually active but also attractive.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">People
with disabilities need knowledge and skills to enable them handle their sexual
feelings, resist sexual coercion, negotiate for safer sex or postpone sex
altogether.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">According
to WHO, 600 million people living with disability exist worldwide and 80% of
these are in developing countries.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">As we
commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, and Disability day on December 3, we
need to reflect on the impact that disability can have on the HIV epidemic.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">People
with visual and hearing impairment struggle to adopt alternative ways to paint
a picture of sex life and its implications.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">They
face challenges of sexual abuse and risks to acquiring HIV infection due to
inadequate knowledge and skills about the HIV prevention.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Stigma
and discrimination disallows them to choose their sexual partners. They are
likely to have more sexual partners to exchange sex with acceptability in
society.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">HIV
preventive messages are usually designed in audio and video forms which hearing
and visually impaired people cannot use.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Alternative
channels of communicating HIV preventive methods are not available.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">The
Uganda National HIV Strategic Plan (2011/12-2014/15), the 2008 UN convention on
rights of persons with disabilities and the 2006 UNAIDS guidelines on HIV and
human rights, provide for equal access to all services including people with
disabilities.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">The
policy framework is favourable for HIV prevention but implementation remains
poor.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><i><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic" lang="EN">The writer is a MakSPH-CDC fellow attached to Mildmay
Uganda.<u></u><u></u></span></font></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_AfricaMiddleEast5"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold">5<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35">Madagascar: VIH - Les homosexuels au banc des accusés <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35">L’Express de Madagascar<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35">06/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Par
Michella Raharisoa<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">Le virus du
Sida atteint les MSM et les amateurs de la drogue injectable. Les Nations-Unies
indiquent un espoir d'atteindre l'objectif zéro en 2015.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">Mieux vaut
prévenir que guérir.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">« Près de 63%
des cas de nouvelles infections en matière de VIH/sida concernent les hommes
ayant des rapports sexuels avec les hommes (Men having Sex with Men ou MSM) et
les consommateurs de drogue injectable, d'après le résultat d' études
effectuées en 2010, à propos de la lutte contre le sida à Madagascar », déclare
Haja Razafindrafito, secrétaire exécutif du Conseil National de Lutte contre le
Sida.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">C'était hier,
en marge de la présentation du nouveau rapport de la Journée mondiale de lutte
contre le sida, à Andraharo. Le taux de prévalence du VIH est de 14,5% chez les
MSM, tandis qu'il est de 7,1% chez les consommateurs de drogue injectable.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">Les études
ont également montré que ce taux reste plus élevé chez les hommes mariés, ainsi
que chez les jeunes de 15 à 24 ans. « Les actions à entreprendre dans ce cadre
devraient revêtir plusieurs aspects », continue Haja Razafindrafito.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">Il s'agit de
combiner dans un même programme, la lutte contre la drogue et la lutte contre
le sida. Un programme pilote y afférent a été initié en 2010, au centre
hospitalier de Toamasina.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">Baisse des
décès<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">L'objectif
consiste à réduire les risques de contamination à l'aide d'échanges de
seringues. Dr Claire Mulanga Tshidibi, représentant résident de l'Organisation
des Nations Unies sur le VIH/sida (ONUSIDA) à Madagascar, insiste quant à elle,
que le programme doit aussi viser les femmes, étant donné que les MSM peuvent
avoir des rapports sexuels avec les femmes.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">Au niveau
mondial, l'ONUSIDA annonce une chute de plus de 50% des nouvelles infections à
VIH dans 25 pays dont 12 en Afrique. De plus, le nombre de personnes ayant
accès au traitement antirétroviral, a augmenté de 63% sur les 24 derniers mois
et les décès liés au sida ont diminué de plus de 25% dans le monde, entre 2005
et 2011.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial">Le deuxième
plan stratégique national de lutte contre le sida à Madagascar, vient d'être
validé mardi dernier. L'ONUSIDA a déclaré, que Madagascar pourrait atteindre
zéro nouvelle infection, zéro nouveau décès, zéro discrimination d'ici 2015, vu
la situation actuelle.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_AfricaMiddleEast7"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">7<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Pregnant Saudi women to undergo HIV tests <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Gulfnews<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">By
Habib Toumi<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Manama:
Saudi Arabia could soon implement a plan requiring all government hospitals in
the kingdom to test pregnant women for HIV infection.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> “Under
the move by the health ministry, the HIV blood tests will be carried out during
the early months of the pregnancy,” Mohsin Al Hazemi, the head of the
Shura Council Health Committee, said. “Some of the hospitals have already
started carrying out the tests,” he told local Arabic daily Al Eqtisadiya.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">The
decision is part of a national drive to fight the spread of the disease.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">On
Sunday, the Consultative Council made history by approving the draft of the
AIDS prevention law that prevents all forms of discrimination against those
affected with the disease. The law also protects the society and calls for
prompt action to help curb the spread of infections.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">The
draft was prepared based on reports by experts and on remarks from the health
ministry and the human rights national association.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">The
vote was overwhelmingly in favour of the draft law that will be submitted for
approval within one week, officials said.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">=======================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><u></u><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">ASIA</span></font></b></span><u></u><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> AND PACIFIC<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">=======================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">A changing enemy<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Business Standard, India<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">11/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
latest report from the United Nations’ AIDS body notes that India has
managed to bring down the count of people affected by HIV/AIDS by as much as 57
per cent. That’s an encouraging and creditable achievement. But it should
not make the authorities overconfident. Slacking off in the campaign for the
prevention and treatment of AIDS would quickly erode any gains made so far.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">One
particularly worrisome fact is that the prevalence of full-blown AIDS is still
too high in the 15 to 49 age group; people belonging to this category are in
the prime of their working life. Too much patting of India’s own back is
also unwarranted because it is not alone in containing the spread of AIDS. The
incidence of newly infected people is, in fact, falling the world over —
the total number of new cases dropped by 20 per cent between 2001 and 2011. The
number of AIDS-related deaths, too, has plummeted by 24 per cent. Moreover,
many of the sharpest reductions in the rate of new AIDS cases have been
recorded in 25 low- and middle-income countries, over half of them in Africa,
the most infected continent. The countries reporting a sharper decline in AIDS
than in India include Malawi (73 per cent), Botswana (71 per cent), Namibia (68
per cent) and Zambia (58 per cent). India’s achievement in lowering the
incidence by 57 per cent, however, sparkles when viewed against that by some of
its immediate neighbours like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where the incidence of
the disease has actually surged by 25 per cent.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
success of India’s National AIDS Control Programme ( NACP) can be
attributed largely to the perceptible increase in the level of awareness about
the perils of this disease, most importantly, among commercial sex workers. The
decentralisation of the implementation of the NACP by involving the
states’ AIDS control societies and voluntary organisations has
contributed to this. So have innovative initiatives like
“Hamsafar”, aimed at reaching out to thousands of truck drivers,
who are also at risk. On the downside, scientists at a Bangalore-based research
centre have reported that the most commonly found AIDs-causing virus, HIV type
1 (HIV-1), has been undergoing a process of evolution for the last 10 years
— which may make AIDS control tougher. This has led to the emergence of
five new strains of HIV-1, which have been found to be rapidly replacing the
standard viral strain. Similar processes of viral progression have also been
noticed in some other countries where the HIV-1 AIDS virus has been prevalent,
notably South Africa, China and Brazil. The new strains, it is feared, may have
a greater ability to infect and establish themselves in their hosts. This
ominous development may require currently successful AIDS control strategies
– especially the widespread and effective antiretroviral therapy –
to be reviewed. The flow of funds towards research on AIDS control therapies
cannot, therefore, slow down. In addition, work must continue on making cures
and therapies accessible to patients<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_AsiaPacific3"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">3<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">More stepping forward for anonymous HIV
testing: AfA<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Channel News Asia<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">By
Vimita Mohandas<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">SINGAPORE:
Advocacy group Action for AIDS (AfA) says more people are coming forward to be
tested anonymously for HIV.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
group said 1,368 people have been tested anonymously for HIV at its mobile van
for the past 11 months.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
mobile van started conducting such tests in December 2011. Seven have tested
positive for HIV so far.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">It
added that its Anonymous Test Site, located in a clinic run by the Department
of Sexually Transmitted Infections Control in Kelantan Lane, tested an average
of 540 individuals a month for 2012.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">More
comprehensive blood tests are conducted at this clinic.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">A
total of 385 new HIV cases were reported among Singapore residents in the first
10 months of 2012.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Of
these, only 14 per cent were diagnosed by voluntary HIV screening. Half of
these cases were already at a late stage of infection.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">A
total of 5,521 Singapore residents have been diagnosed with HIV.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">"Stigma
and discrimination create an unnecessary barrier to the early detection and
treatment of at-risk individuals," said Minister of State for Health Dr
Amy Khor.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">"Concerned
that they may be shunned by their family, rejected by friends, or lose their
jobs if they were found to be HIV positive, individuals who practise risky sexual
behaviours are afraid of getting a HIV test - to the detriment of their health
and to the risk of their sexual partners," she added.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">To
tackle these issues, Tan Tock Seng Hospital became the first public hospital to
launch a HIV stigma and discrimination campaign called 'The Power To Change Is
Within You'.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">"We
feel that there are probably more patients but they haven't been diagnosed yet.
And what this means is a delay in diagnosis. The earlier you come for testing,
the earlier you are diagnosed… the (earlier) you get your treatment, the
better is your prognosis." said Dr Arlene Chua, head of Tan Tock Seng
Hospital's HIV programme.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Large
banners, posters and stickers will be displayed around Tan Tock Seng Hospital,
the Communicable Disease Centre and clinics. They will include stories and
positive experiences of HIV patients and healthcare workers who have worked
with these patients. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
aim is to help HIV patients adopt a positive mindset and to highlight to
members of the public that HIV patients continue to live normal lives.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
campaign aims to target people living with HIV, healthcare workers and the
public.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_AsiaPacific4"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">4<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Alarm on AIDS<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Fiji Times<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Maciu
Malo<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">CONCERNS
have been raised on the increasing number of people infected with AIDS in the Western
Division.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">This,
after reports that four people died from the deadly disease and 11 new cases
recorded in the west so far this year.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Commissioner
Western Commander Joeli Cawaki said people in the west should ensure that no
one was infected with HIV from this day forward.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">He
said in order to achieve that, it was imperative that people understood how
AIDS could be prevented.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">"To
prevent HIV infections we must understand how we can get HIV infections in the
first place," said Cdr Cawaki.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">"The
three main ways that people get infected with HIV are — sexual
transmission; from infected blood, and from a mother to her child.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">"Almost
all the cases of HIV we have in Fiji have been spread through sexual
transmission. In order to prevent transmission of HIV in Fiji, one of the major
challenges we face is behaviour change towards safe sexual practices."<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Cdr
Cawaki said the issue should be discussed openly with family members and people
should work together to fight the disease.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">"We
all know that topics related to sex are mostly taboo in our culture but it's
time we came out of the shadows and attempt to discuss these matters
comprehensively," he said.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">"We
in Fiji are into the fourth decade of HIV infection, and unless we all take
ownership of this growing problem now, we could face an epidemic in the near
future, especially with our very mobile population, and us being a thriving
tourist destination."<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Cdr
Cawaki said it was possible to achieve the aim of zero new HIV infections but
that it would be a challenge.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">"I
urge political leaders, health officials, community leaders, guardians and
parents to speak up about and take action on ending the spread of HIV," he
said.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">"I
plead with the people living with HIV to do the right thing — seek
medical help as soon as possible, take your medication consistently, and
practise safe sex to prevent the spread of HIV."<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><u></u><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">EUROPE</span></font></b></span><u></u><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"><u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Do we actually want to rid Europe of its sex
workers?<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">The Guardian, UK<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Comment
is free<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Libby
Brooks<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">"Towards
a Europe free from prostitution" – this is the call from the
European Women's Lobby, a coalition of some 200 women's rights NGOs from across
the EU, which met at the European parliament last week to launch their
campaign. And to build a world where sex is no longer commodified and pleasure
is freely exchanged is indeed a laudable feminist project. But we make our
lemonade with the lemons we're given, and 21st-century capitalism, under which
women's economic and social rights remain grossly circumscribed, does not lend
itself to the foundation of such a utopia. So you'll forgive me for concluding
that the Women's Lobby might as well be demanding a Europe free from vaginas.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">At
the launch conference, the lobbyists also heard assessments of the competing
policies in Sweden and the Netherlands. Though not designed for societies free
from sex work, these represent the two most widely recognised models for
reducing violence against and exploitation of sex workers. In 1999, Sweden became
the first country in the world to criminalise the buying, but not the selling,
of sexual services. By contrast, under the Dutch approach prostitution has been
legal and state-regulated for over a decade. The split between the two models
can be seen in microcosm in Scotland. This week the consultation period ends
for the formation of a new nationwide policy on prostitution, with different
interests championing either Glasgow's zero tolerance of kerb crawling, or
Edinburgh's licensed saunas and on-street toleration zones.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
trouble is that this is not a morally neutral discussion – prostitution
provokes that almighty feminist fissure. Are you a rescuer, for whom one
woman's willing wage-earning cannot trump the plight of the exploited,
drug-addicted abuse survivor? Or an enabler, swallowing whole the inevitability
of sex work, mythologising the happy hooker, or daring to suggest that in times
of recession plenty of working-class women feel themselves but one step away
from the oldest profession?<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
experience of sex workers themselves is instructive about both models. A
crackdown on clients forces them to work in the shadows, beyond the protection
of the law. Legalisation sets up a two-tier system. Women working outside the
toleration zones face the same dangers as before. Those working within them
have less control over their conditions, pay higher taxes and essentially cede
to the state as their pimp. Sex workers themselves say this, but sex workers
are not always listened to. Perhaps because what they say doesn't always suit
those who claim to advocate on their behalf.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Meanwhile,
hard facts are hard to come by. Research is limited, inconclusive or
methodologically dodgy, with data plucked out of context and moulded to one
agenda or another. The oft-cited Home Office statistic that more than half of
prostitutes have been raped or seriously sexually assaulted is in fact taken
from two relatively small sample studies of street workers (here and here).
This limited provenance makes it no less appalling, but be cautious when the
same percentage is applied to all women involved in sex work in Britain.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">So
who do we mean when we speak about sex workers? A Europe free from
prostitution, after all, means a Europe free from prostitutes. The collective
imagination offers polar opposites: the highly educated, economically savvy
Belle de Jour and the trafficked eastern European innocent, robbed of her
passport and imprisoned in a brothel. Both of these are, to an extent,
fantasies of what non-sex-workers would like a prostitute to look like. And
they ignore the huge variety of women who want protection from exploitation
without being treated like a disease to be wiped out in order to end the
oppression of all women. Pity is seldom far away from contempt.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Characterising
prostitution as a scourge conveniently ignores the fact that sex workers are
not plying their trade in a vacuum. An acknowledgement of supply requires an
acceptance of demand; that men use prostitutes, even men we love and respect
and maybe have sex with ourselves. Not surprisingly, an Ipsos Mori poll in 2008
found that broad public acceptability of buying and selling sex dropped off
substantially when people considered that the buyer or seller might be a
relation.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">I
don't think it is limply libertarian or unambitiously pragmatic to question
whether a Europe free from prostitution is feasible, or even desirable. And
neither side of the fissure really knows whether, without the economic
imperative, supply and demand would die out naturally or if it would continue
regardless, albeit with women's economic power making the rates higher and the
sex safer.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">There
is an alternative, of course, but one that requires even more vision. In July a
report by the UN-backed Global Commission on HIV and the Law recommended that
all countries decriminalise private and consensual adult sexual behaviours,
including same-sex sexual acts and voluntary sex work. It specifically stated
that this should also apply to the Swedish model, concluding that criminalising
the buying of sex had actually worsened the working lives of prostitutes in
that country. Decriminalisation, which is very different to legalisation, has
been in place in New Zealand since 2003. Safety has improved, the segregation
that occurs with tolerance zones has been avoided, and there has been no
increase in prostitution.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">In
Brussels, the European Women's Lobby described prostitution as "a form of
violence, an obstacle to equality, a violation of human dignity, and of human
rights". And for too many women, it is. But that will not change until it
is also accepted that prostitution is also, for some, the best economic choice.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_Europe2"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold">2<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35">Le PS choisit les réformes de société pour se faire
entendre<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35">Le Monde, France<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Par
Hélène Bekmezian et Bastien Bonnefous<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Le
Parti socialiste passe à l'offensive. Coup sur coup, la Rue de Solférino a
décidé d'accélérer à propos de deux engagements de campagne de François
Hollande. Lundi 10 décembre, Harlem Désir, le premier secrétaire du parti,
devait annoncer le lancement d'une "pétition nationale" en faveur de
l'ouverture du mariage et de l'adoption aux couples homosexuels.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Par
ailleurs, le patron des socialistes devrait également, selon nos informations,
envoyer dans les prochains jours un courrier aux parlementaires pour leur demander
de défendre une loi sur le droit de vote pour les étrangers non communautaires
aux élections locales.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Populaires
dans l'opinion il y a encore quelques mois, ces deux réformes ont eu à subir
des complications depuis et, lors de sa conférence de presse du 13 novembre à
l'Elysée, M. Hollande les a défendues du bout des lèvres.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">"C'EST
PLUS COMPLIQUÉ" <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Accusé
par certains d'être inaudible depuis sa prise de fonctions à la tête du PS, M.
Désir a décidé de faire entendre sa voix et celle de son parti. "Même si
c'est plus compliqué, on reste majoritaire dans l'opinion. Il n'y a donc aucune
raison pour que l'on traîne ces promesses comme des boulets plus
longtemps", explique-t-on rue de Solférino.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Le
PS vient ainsi d'apporter un soutien appuyé à la manifestation pro-mariage gay
organisée à l'appel de l'Interassociative lesbienne, gay, bi et trans
(Inter-LGBT), le 16 décembre. Une manière de défendre son projet avec les
mobilisations de rue, champ jusqu'à présent laissé aux opposants. Et de
répondre à l'UMP qui a annoncé sa participation, en tant que telle, à la
journée de manifestations antimariage prévue le 13 janvier.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Cela
ne devrait toutefois pas empêcher le texte d'être adopté facilement et
rapidement au Parlement, où il doit arriver le 29 janvier. Seule la question de
la procréation médicalement assistée (PMA) pourrait accrocher. Dans sa
pétition, M. Désir a choisi de rester dans l'esprit du gouvernement, en prenant
soin de ne pas associer à son texte la PMA soutenue pourtant par le président
du groupe socialiste, Bruno Le Roux.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">La
question du droit de vote pour les étrangers est autrement plus épineuse.
Nécessitant une réforme de la Constitution, cette mesure ne peut être adoptée
que par un référendum ou une majorité des trois cinquièmes au Parlement,
impossible à trouver aujourd'hui. Au mieux, et avec le plein à gauche, il
manque trente-quatre voix.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Lors
de sa conférence de presse, M. Hollande avait annoncé le lancement d'un
processus de "recrutement" de parlementaires, auquel le président de
l'Assemblée nationale, Claude Bartolone, a assuré participer. "Mensonge du
gouvernement", rétorque Jean-Christophe Lagarde, porte-parole des députés
centristes qui assure qu'"à l'UDI jamais été sollicités, approchés ou
interrogés", tout comme au groupe UMP. "Pour l'instant, nous
recensons tous ceux qui se sont déclarés favorables", se défend-on côté
socialiste où l'on précise que le sujet sera débattu en groupe mardi ou
mercredi.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Ensuite
seulement pourra commencer le porte-à-porte parlementaire avec cette fameuse
liste d'élus potentiellement alliés... qui ne devrait en fait compter qu'une
poignée de noms, comme ceux des députés UDI Jean-Louis Borloo (Nord) et Yves
Jégo (Seine-et-Marne). Mais, aujourd'hui, le premier demande au gouvernement
d'"oublier ce débat" quand le second estime que "c'est le moment
le plus inopportun". Peu de chances également de faire bouger les lignes à
l'UMP, trop contente de retrouver un semblant d'unité sur ce sujet.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Côté
Sénat, les jeux sont faits. Le 8 décembre 2011, les sénateurs se sont exprimés
sur la question lors de l'adoption d'une proposition de loi autorisant le droit
de vote pour les étrangers. Tous les élus UMP avaient voté contre, ainsi que la
grande majorité des centristes.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">"IL
FAUT POSITIVER" <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Dans
ces conditions, comment la gauche – qui n'a pourtant jamais été aussi
près de la majorité des trois cinquièmes – peut-elle espérer trouver
trente-quatre voix ? "C'est une affaire enterrée, classée",
assure-t-on chez les Radicaux de gauche du Sénat.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">D'autant
que, si la réforme ne passe pas sous les trois mois, elle ne sera pas
applicable pour les municipales de 2014, "et le sujet sera au coeur de la
campagne de 2017", s'agace Jérôme Guedj (PS, Essonne), figure de l'aile
gauche du parti qui se dit "lucidement inquiet". Avec 76 de ses
collègues, il avait alerté le gouvernement en publiant dès septembre dans Le
Monde une tribune intitulée "Le droit de vote des étrangers aux élections,
c'est maintenant".<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Si,
sur cette question, M. Désir semble pressé d'agir, M. Guedj appelle désormais à
mobiliser la base. "Un parlementaire changera d'avis si la demande vient
des électeurs de sa circonscription", assure-t-il. "Il ne faut pas
faire cela de manière honteuse, cachée, il faut positiver. J'aimerais sentir
une mobilisation de chaque instant de la société civile", comme cet appel
lancé samedi 8 décembre par SOS-Racisme et signé par Yannick Noah,
Bernard-Henri Lévy ou Renaud.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">D'autres,
à gauche, veulent rester optimistes, comme les élus des Français de l'étranger,
Sergio Coronado (écologiste) ou Pouria Amirshahi (PS). Ce dernier, s'il refuse
de "se résigner" se désole : "C'est mal barré et ça me met en
rogne." Il reste le référendum, une option périlleuse sur laquelle le chef
de l'Etat s'était montré opposé mais prudent – "aujourd'hui, ce
n'est pas mon intention". "Dans la période actuelle, c'est
suicidaire", évacue le député Laurent Baumel (PS, Indre-et-Loire).<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Une
autre solution aurait été envisageable, elle était dans le projet du PS adopté
à l'unanimité en mai 2011 : faire voter les Français sur une série de mesures
institutionnelles – droit de vote, mais aussi non-cumul, proportionnelle,
reconnaissance du vote blanc... – "lors d'un référendum organisé
avant la fin de l'année 2012"...<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_Europe6"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="ES-TRAD">6<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Desiguales ante el tratamiento para el VIH <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">ABC, Spain<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Ernesto
Ortega<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">Desiguales
ante el tratamiento antirretroviral. Esto es lo que ha constatado una
investigación que se acaba de publicar en PloS One y que ha sido realizada por
investigadores del Hospital Universitario MútuaTerrassa y que confirma la
desigualdad existente entre los países industrializados y los países en vías de
desarrollo en el manejo y control del tratamiento antirretroviral de las
personas infectadas por el virus del VIH.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">Este
estudio, explicaron David Dalmau, Director de la Fundació Docència i Recerca de
MútuaTerrassa, y Mireia Arnedo, del Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas
August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) del Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, tenía como
objetivo identificar el porcentaje de personas bajo tratamiento antiretroviral
de gran actividad (TARGA) que fracasaban -ineficacia de la medicación
administrada- y confirmar mediante estudios de biología molecular, «qué
mutaciones de resistencia y a qué fármacos se hacia resistente el VIH». <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">Realizado
en colaboración con investigadores del IDIBAPS y de Médicos sin Fronteras de
España y Kenia, el trabajo va más allá de la identificación de unas meras
mutaciones de resistencia a los fármacos administrados y, según dijeron David
Dalmau, que también es Presidente de la Sociedad Española Interdisciplinaria
del Sida (SEISIDA) y Mireia Arnedo, demuestra varios aspectos fundamentales
sobre los que conviene reflexionar de cara a un mejor control y seguimiento
médico de las personas infectadas por el VIH en países pobres en recursos.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">Eficacia
similar<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">Por
ejemplo, explicaron, la eficacia de los programas de tratamiento antiretroviral
implementados en los países pobres «es similar» a la de los países
industrializados, como también lo es el porcentaje de personas que fracasan al
tratamiento en Europa o América (15-25%) y en los países del África
subsahariana.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">Además,
el trabajo muestra que las mutaciones de resistencia identificadas «certifican
la ineficacia de la medicación antiretroviral» que estaban recibiendo las
personas con fracaso terapéutico. Así, denuncia, la falta de herramientas
útiles que «identifiquen de forma precoz el fracaso a estos tratamientos en los
países pobres», y que sí son utilizadas en los países ricos -carga viral o
cantidad de virus en sangre- «facilita » el acúmulo de resistencias a la
medicación y «complica» enormemente futuras opciones de tratamiento.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">Temores
infundados<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">Para
los investigadores, se puede decir que «son infundados» los temores que
sugieren que el tratamiento generalizado con TARGA en personas con VIH en
países pobres comportaría una «masiva aparición de mutaciones de resistencia a
los fármacos antiretrovirales». Además, dijeron, a pesar de los esfuerzos de
organismos como la OMS, ONUSIDA, etc., para conseguir un aumento en el número
de personas con VIH tratadas en África subsahariana (actualmente ya son más de
6 millones de personas), la monitorización y control del TARGA en estos países
sigue siendo muy «precaria» y facilita la aparición de resistencias y «la
ineficacia del tratamiento antiretroviral». Ello, concluyen, dificulta las ya
de por si «pocas alternativas terapéuticas» disponibles en estos países y
incrementan el coste sanitario y de salud pública.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="ES-TRAD">LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD">========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Lucha contra el VIH en el país necesita más
recursos<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">El País, Costa Rica<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Viviana
Ortiz Vindas<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">San
José, 10 dic (<a href="http://elpais.cr" target="_blank">elpais.cr</a>) - El Consejo Nacional de Atención Integral del
VIH-SIDA promueve el fortalecimiento del trabajo en el tema, con una respuesta
intersectorial de todos los protagonistas de la sociedad que están vinculados,
desde las instituciones de Estado, las organizaciones no gubernamentales y las
personas afectadas con este virus.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Una
de las estrategias puestas en marcha, es el impulso de creación de políticas
internas en empresas, sobre prevención, erradicación del estigma y la
discriminación. Además, que se brinden las facilidades a las personas que viven
con el virus en cuanto a autorizaciones para ir a las citas y que propicien campañas
para realizarse la prueba que determina si se es portador.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Se
ha involucrado al sector privado en las iniciativas, la Asociación Empresarial
para el Desarrollo, AED, ha sido una de las que ya forman parte.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">En
las comunidades se ejecuta el proyecto Capacity, en coordinación con
cooperación internacional, donde se articula una red de servicios comunitarios.
Desamparados, Alajuela, Puntarenas y Limón recientemente son las zonas
involucradas.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Por
su parte la Junta de Protección Social destina parte de sus ganancias a
proyectos sobre el tema, que son ejecutados por entidades no gubernamentales.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“Necesitamos
más recursos para trabajar los proyectos, para garantizar más acceso a
preservativos, para combatir el estigma”, afirmó la coordinadora del
Consejo Nacional de Atención Integral del VIH-SIDA, Alejandra Acuña.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Prioritariamente
añade hay que enfatizar en prevención, que los recursos que se destinan
VIH-SIDA a escala nacional se enfoquen prevención en las poblaciones más
vulnerables y no en tratamiento. Rescata el hecho de que la transmisión de
madre a hijo presenta una tasa muy baja en el país, por la calidad de atención
prenatal que brinda la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, CCSS. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Aunado
a esto, la promoción del uso del condón; y la inclusión al mercado del condón
femenino, que está en proceso de inscripción en el Ministerio de Salud, para
que comience a circular por el país. “Que las mujeres anden sus condones,
ese paradigma hay que romperlo, no solo los hombres deben hacerlo, las mujeres
por encima de cualquier prejuicio social tienen derecho a cuidar sus
cuerpos”, enfatizó Acuña.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Y
una estrategia fuerte de información educación y comunicación, para
sensibilizar y concienciar a la gente sobre el VIH, donde quede bien definido
que cualquiera está en riesgo de contagio. Y que estas campañas vayan enfocadas
en la manera más certera de llegar a las poblaciones en riesgo, como
trabajadoras sexuales, migrantes y hombres que tienen sexo entre hombres.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Entre
las actividades programadas para el año 2012 y ejecutadas están: <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Desarrollo
del Curso de Monitoreo y Evaluación para la gestión en Programas de VIH-sida.
en VIH y sida, contó con participación intersectorial. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Desarrollo
del Foro Nacional de Estudios en VIH con la participación de 125 personas representantes
de todos los sectores gubernamentales, y de las Organizaciones No
Gubernamentales, ONG. Elaboración y entrega a ONUSIDA Ginebra del Informe de
avance de la respuesta nacional al VIH y sida 2010-2011- Incluyendo el Informe
de Medición del Gasto de VIH y sida Costa Rica 2010. Estimación de
Requerimiento de Condones para Poblaciones en Más Alto Riesgo de Adquirir el
VIH, PEMAR, formulación de la estrategia de acceso universal a los condones
femeninos y masculinos. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Se
estableció el primer sitio de vigilancia centinela de segunda generación de ITS
y VIH/sida en San José para las poblaciones: trans, HSH y trabajadoras sexuales
a cargo de la Clínica Moreno Cañas. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Desarrollo
de medición de los servicios de VIH para valorar que se brinde atención integral
en trabajo coordinado entre el MS y el Proyecto Capacity, de USAID. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">En
proceso de ejecución de los proyectos financiados por el Fondo Global REDCA+ y
RED TRASEX. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Sostenibilidad
de la atención y tratamiento de las personas con VIH por la CCSS. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Prevención
del VIH en el lugar de trabajo, se inició la formulación de políticas en el
lugar de trabajo, algunas empresas cuentan con políticas en cumplimiento a la
directriz para la prevención y el abordaje del VIH/sida en el mundo del
trabajo: Asociación de Empresarios para el Desarrollo, Kimberly Clark, Empresa
de transporte inter-fronterizo Humberto Álvarez, Grupo Scotiabank de Costa
Rica, Meloneras del Sol, Grupo Irex, LAICA, Grupo ICE, Península Papagayo, Cruz
Roja Costarricense, Hotel La Foresta Nature Resort , Hotel Villa Roca , Planet
Dolphin Island Adventures, Industrias Martec, Marina Pez Vela, Hotel Best
Western Kamuk. Hotel GAIA Hotel y Reserva.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Desarrollo
de los proyectos de prevención con financiamiento de la Junta de Protección
Social a partir del II semestre de CIPAC, ADC, La Sala, ASOVHISIDA. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Desafíos
<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Poco
se ha avanzado en información, educación y comunicación (IEC) sobre reducción
del riesgo, Promoción del preservativo, asesoramiento y pruebas del VIH,
reducción de daños para los consumidores de drogas inyectables, reducción del
riesgo para los hombres que tienen relaciones sexuales con hombres, reducción
del riesgo para los profesionales del sexo, Servicios de salud reproductiva,
incluidos la prevención y tratamiento de las ITS, Educación escolar sobre el
SIDA para jóvenes, Programas para jóvenes no escolarizados. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Aún
persiste el estigma y la discriminación en los servicios de salud, en
particular contra las personas con VIH, HSH, personas transgénero y los
Adolescentes lo que limita su capacidad de buscar alternativas de prevención
del VIH o de la reinfección. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Se
deben reforzar las capacidades de los grupos vulnerables, especialmente para
las mujeres VIH positivas, los migrantes, y las personas transgénero, en busca
de la reducción del estigma y la discriminación, para asegurar la respuesta
nacional se fundamenta en la universalidad de los Derechos Humanos. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Fortalecer
las capacidades de Monitoreo y evaluación y vigilancia del país para comprender
mejor la epidemia y reconocer que existen problemáticas que deben ser
atendidas. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Apertura
a trabajar con poblaciones históricamente invisibilizadas como migrantes e
indígenas. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Crear
programas de mitigación de impacto que garantice los derechos de las personas
con VIH como la inserción laboral, salud integral, aseguramiento, educación sin
discriminación. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Aprobación
de la Reforma de la Ley General del VIH.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_LatinAmericaCaribbean2"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="ES-TRAD">2<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Busca Mancera disminuir número de enfermos de
SIDA en el DF <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Milenio, Mexico<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">07/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Ciudad
de México • Miguel Ángel Mancera, jefe de gobierno capitalino, anunció
que una de las principales acciones en materia de salud será terminar con la
epidemia de VIH Sida en la Ciudad de México. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Además,
anunció que en el 2013 iniciará la construcción de una clínica en la delegación
Iztapalapa, similar a la que se ubica en la colonia La Condesa y que atiende un
mayor número de pacientes en el país y es la más grande su tipo en América
Latina. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Esta
clínica será edificada en un terreno de 2 mil 700 metros cuadrados en la
colonia Álvaro Obregón, cerca de la cabeza de Juárez y costará 60 millones de
pesos. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Durante
la conmemoración del día mundial de lucha contra el VIH Sida, el mandatario
local dijo que en la Ciudad de México existen cifras alarmantes entorno a esta
enfermedad, en donde se contagian seis personas por día y se estima que a
finales de este año 40 mil personas sean portadoras del VIH en el Distrito
Federal. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Además,
señaló que anualmente 2 mil 100 personas contraen VIH Sida, lo que representa
el 21% de las nuevas infecciones del todo país y coloca a México en el segundo
lugar con mayor número de casos después de Brasil.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_LatinAmericaCaribbean3"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="ES-TRAD">3<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Diputados cubanos consideran prioritaria la
prevención del VIH-Sida <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">Prensa Latina, Cuba<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="ES-TRAD">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">La
Habana, 10 dic, (PL) Diputados cubanos consideraron hoy fundamentales las
acciones para prevenir la transmisión del VIH-Sida, un tema priorizado por el
sistema nacional de salud y por el país, según la funcionaria del Ministerio de
Salud, María Isela Lantero.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> En
conversaciones con los integrantes de la Comisión de Atención a la Juventud, la
Niñez y la Igualdad de la Mujer del Parlamento cubano, la especialista
manifestó que aunque la situación de la enfermad en la nación ha mejorado,
"no debemos bajar la guardia".<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> Al
respecto, pidió colaboración a los diputados para que en la población no
decaiga la percepción del riego, pues luchar contra la transmisión es una
prioridad para todos.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> En
cuanto al comportamiento del VIH en 2012, Lantero informó que de alrededor de
mil 664 diagnosticados, el 80 por ciento pertenece al sexo masculino, de los
cuales el 72,7 por ciento son hombres que tiene sexo con hombres.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> Asimismo,
indicó que el grupo de mayor incidencia son los jóvenes de 20 a 29 años.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> La
especialista afirmó que el VIH-sida no constituye un problema de salud para los
niños cubanos, pues casi no hay casos diagnosticados.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> De
acuerdo con la doctora, desde los inicios de la enfermedad hace 25 años, 697
niños han nacido de madres seropositivas y solo 40 tienen la enfermedad.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> Ese
logro, continuó, es el resultado de un trabajo constate en los servicios
médicos, y principalmente en la atención materno-infantil.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> También
se refirió a las labores realizadas en el ámbito familiar y comunitario, con el
propósito de detectar tempranamente la enfermedad y garantizar un tratamiento
oportuno y eficaz.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> Asimismo,
añadió que están identificados 45 municipios con mayores peligros en este
sentido, a los cuales se les da un tratamiento priorizado.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> Lantero
resaltó el papel de los promotores de salud para hacer conciencia sobre la
necesidad de prevenir la enfermedad, muchos de los cuales son portadores del
virus.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> Varios
diputados emitieron opiniones e inquietudes, encaminados a contribuir a un
mejor funcionamiento del trabajo preventivo en todos los sectores sociales
implicados.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> La
Comisión de Atención a la Juventud, la Niñez y la Igualdad de la Mujer sesionó
de manera simultánea con las otras 11 comisiones permanentes del Parlamento
cubano.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> Con
la participación de unos 600 diputados, las comisiones trabajan previo al X Período
Ordinario de Sesiones de la Séptima Legislatura de la Asamblea Nacional,
previsto para el próximo 13 de diciembre.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="ES-TRAD"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><u></u><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">NORTH AMERICA</span></font></b></span><u></u><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"><u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">For Marriage Equality, the Work’s Not
Just in Court<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">The New York Times<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Op-Ed
Contribution<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">By
EVAN WOLFSON<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">PROPONENTS
of same-sex marriage had good reason to celebrate last week; the Supreme Court
announced that it could restore the freedom to marry in California and end
federal discrimination against the marriages celebrated by same-sex couples in
the nine states (along with the District of Columbia) that have the freedom to
marry.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">For
those who believe, as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did, that the arc of
history is long, but bends toward justice, the prospect of a landmark ruling
that would add the United States to the growing list of nations that grant gay
people the freedom to marry — including Argentina, Canada, the
Netherlands and South Africa — is a cause for much hope. But even though
American public opinion on the matter has shifted more rapidly than almost
anyone could have predicted as recently as a decade ago, supporters of marriage
equality can’t just sit and wait for change<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">On
the merits, the Supreme Court’s task should be easy. More than 200 years
of federal jurisprudence shows that the government has nearly always
automatically honored the marriages of couples legally married in states or
even other countries. By constitutional standards and tradition, same-sex
couples married in New York should receive the same 1,138 (or so) federal
protections and responsibilities provided opposite-sex couples who marry here.
These rights — and not just rights, but also obligations — include
Social Security, family leave, health coverage, immigration policy and tax
payment. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">The
so-called Defense of Marriage Act, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996,
effectively created a “gay exception” to this centuries-old
approach. In 10 recent rulings, a succession of federal trial and appellate
judges has deemed this exception unconstitutional. These judges —
including jurists appointed by the Republican presidents Richard M. Nixon,
Ronald Reagan and both George Bushes — agree that in America, we
don’t have second-class citizens, and we shouldn’t have second-class
marriages, either. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">The
Proposition 8 case challenges California’s stripping away the freedom to
marry from one group of couples — those of the same sex — and asks
whether it is acceptable for a majority to vote away freedoms (like the freedom
to marry) from a minority. Both a federal district court and the United States
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit have rightly said no. The Supreme Court
itself has affirmed the right to marry as a fundamental constitutional freedom
14 times — in cases involving, for example, restrictions on interracial
couples and the right of prisoners to marry. The Prop 8 case offers the
prospect of final vindication of that underlying freedom to marry. If being
right on the law and having good lawyers were enough, we would have won the
freedom to marry years ago. But history tells us that a key to prevailing
before the justices is to make the same strong case in the court of public
opinion as we make in the courts of law. Yes, there are only a precious six
months before the court hands down its biggest decisions next June. It is in
that narrow window of opportunity that proponents of same-sex marriage, who
have already worked so hard and made such progress in altering public opinion
and securing marriage rights in many states and countries, must redouble their
efforts. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">We’ve
seen from other social justice movements that national resolution on
historically contentious civil rights questions typically comes after a long
period of work, during which advocates build a critical mass of states that end
discrimination and a critical mass of public support, which empowers the
Supreme Court or Congress to then establish fundamental rights throughout the
nation. This is a pattern that abolitionists, supporters of women’s enfranchisement,
the modern African-American freedom movement and advocates for people with
disabilities — among many others — have followed. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">So
what can be done in the next six months? <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">First,
rack up more state-level victories. By 1967, when the Supreme Court struck down
restrictions on interracial marriage in the appropriately named case Loving v.
Virginia, two-thirds of the states had already ended interracial marriage bans.
By that measure — and it’s a measure, not a rule or a formula
— supporters of same-sex marriage still have a ways to go. But our
four-for-four victories at the ballot box last month increased by half —
in one night — the number of United States jurisdictions where gay
couples can marry: adding Maine, Maryland and Washington to New York and five
other states plus the District of Columbia. (In Minnesota, same-sex couples are
still denied marriage licenses, but voters rebuffed a proposed amendment that
would have added the ban to the state constitution.) <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Along
with local families and advocates, Freedom to Marry is already looking to 2013
legislative victories within reach in states like Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois,
Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Second,
we need to continue the momentum in public opinion. At the time of the Loving
ruling, 70 percent of Americans opposed interracial marriage. By contrast,
support for same-sex couples’ freedom to marry has literally doubled from
27 percent in 1996 — the year a Hawaii state judge ruled that same-sex
couples had a right to marry, a ruling later pre-empted by a state
constitutional amendment — to 54 percent today. This growing majority
includes, remarkably, a supermajority of younger Americans, nearly two-thirds
of Catholics, a majority of Latinos and pluralities of African-Americans and
Asian-Americans. The freedom to marry is one of the few questions on which Dick
Cheney and Barack Obama agree, and it’s of more than symbolic importance
that two titans of the Supreme Court bar, the conservative lawyer Theodore B.
Olson and the liberal litigator David Boies, have joined forces on the case
challenging Prop 8. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Public
opinion doesn’t shift on its own; hearts are opening and minds are
changing because of persuasion and discussion, evidence and experience. With
increased urgency, it’s our job to grow, diversify and mobilize that
majority, conversation by conversation. Through campaigns like Young
Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry and Mayors for the Freedom to Marry;
public statements by business leaders like Jeff Bezos of Amazon and labor leaders
like Richard Trumka of the A.F.L.-C.I.O.; the support of the N.A.A.C.P. and a
growing number of organizations representing Latinos, the largest ethnic
minority group; and above all, personal conversations between family members
and neighbors, we are continuing to persuade Americans that it’s time to
do right by all families and get on the right side of history. For that matter,
the United States needs to catch up with its neighbors; Canada ended marriage
discrimination years ago, and last week, the Mexican Supreme Court unanimously
ruled in favor of the freedom to marry. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">I am
the kind of gay guy far more likely to quote Broadway lyrics than use sports
metaphors, but let me give it a shot: Our opponents have spent the last 15
years continually moving the goal posts. They claimed we could never get
Americans to put “gay” and “marriage” in the same
sentence; we’ve grown a national majority for marriage. They claimed only
the coasts would support the freedom to marry; we’ve won in Iowa and
Minnesota. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">They
claimed courts would never uphold the freedom to marry; that a sitting
president would never run on (rather than away from) support for the freedom to
marry; that Republicans would never join Democrats in voting for
freedom-to-marry bills. Wrong, wrong, wrong. (In New York, Republican state
senators provided the margin of victory for the legalization of same-sex
marriage last year.) <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN">Now
here we are, with the Supreme Court heading toward decisions on both the state
and federal marriage discrimination that same-sex couples endure. And if we do
our part over the next months, building on the irrefutable momentum of 2011 and
2012, we can give the justices confidence that when they stand on the right
side of history, their rulings will not only stand the test of time, but be
true to where the American people already are. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><i><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic" lang="EN">Evan Wolfson is the founder and president of Freedom to
Marry and the author of “Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay
People’s Right to Marry.”<u></u><u></u></span></font></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><br>
</span></font></span><a name="13b8a297e7331240_NorthAmerica2"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">2<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Dissolving Condom In Development At University
Of Washington<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">The Huffington Post<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">By
Tyler Kingkade<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Researchers
at the University of Washington are close to developing a new condom that would
block sexually transmitted diseases, stop unwanted pregnancies, release
preventative drugs after use. This so-called "hypercondom" would also
dissolve inside the body.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
female condoms are targeted for use by women and are made possible through a
technology called "electrospinning," which creates fibers from liquid
inside an electric field, according to the tech blog Gizmodo. Not only would
the condom block sperm, The Week reports it could time-release a potent
cocktail of anti-HIV drugs and hormonal contraceptives.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
research was sponsored in part by a $1 million grant from the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation to pursue the new “electrospinning”
technology. It was published last week in the Public Library of Science’s
open-access journal PLoS One.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“This
method allows controlled release of multiple compounds," Cameron Ball, a
first-year graduate student involved in the research, said in a release.
"We were able to tune the fibers to have different release
properties."<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
release described how scientists developed the material:<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">They
first dissolved polymers approved by the Food and Drug Administration and
antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV to create a gooey solution that passes
through a syringe. As the stream encounters the electric field it stretches to
create thin fibers measuring 100 to several thousand nanometers that whip through
the air and eventually stick to a collecting plate (one nanometer is about one
25-millionth of an inch). The final material is a stretchy fabric that can
physically block sperm or release chemical contraceptives and antivirals.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">In
summary: cloth-like fibers can be woven from medicine into ultra-thin webs that
also block STIs and prevent unwanted pregnancies.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“Our
dream is to create a product women can use to protect themselves from HIV
infection and unintended pregnancy," said Kim Woodrow, a UW assistant
professor of bioengineering. "We have the drugs to do that. It’s
really about delivering them in a way that makes them more potent, and allows a
woman to want to use it."<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
new rubbers would also be a greener choice because they wouldn't end up in a
landfill after use.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_NorthAmerica3"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">3<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Two continents, one soul<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">The Washington Post<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">By
Richard A. Powell<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Picture
the scene: a prematurely aged woman lies on a disheveled bed in her rudimentary
home in rural Uganda. Diagnosed with HIV two months ago, she went late in her
illness to her local hospital, deterred by the enduring stigma associated with
the disease.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">A
home-based palliative care service gives her liquid oral morphine to ease her
physical pain, elevating her spirits and calming her psychological distress.
She knows she is dying and is haunted by questions of her own mortality. She
has not talked to a spiritual counselor and will not.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Now
picture a pristine major hospital on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. A
middle-aged woman diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 15 months ago, jaundiced and
gaunt, lies dying in bed, surrounded by ventilation tubes, monitoring equipment
and an interdisciplinary team that includes a professional chaplain who’s
board certified to work in health care settings. The chaplain sits quietly
beside her, listening to her as she articulates similar fears of her imminent
death and seeks answers to questions over her life’s meaning.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Whether
in Africa, United States or elsewhere, living with incurable progressive
disease has implications far beyond the physical. Illness can exert a profound
effect on one’s spiritual well-being in times of crisis. U.S. studies
show that neglect of patients’ spiritual needs has been associated with
reduced quality of life and satisfaction with care, and increased end-of-life
health care costs.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">It
is critical that health care providers recognize the spiritual aspects of
illness, and are equipped to support people spiritually as well as physically.
This is critical in palliative care, which aims to provide ‘total
care’ for patients and their families: addressing pain manifested in the
physical, psychological, social and spiritual domains. <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">In
Africa palliative care is introduced at the point of diagnosis and focuses on
pain relief and symptom management. At this stage of the illness spiritual
needs may be less evident. But since many Africans tend to delay seeking
medical help, and thus are beyond curing, their spiritual distress can be
palpable. Yet formal spiritual interventions are rarely part of what is
provided in palliative care on the continent, and needs remain unmet.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">In
Africa spiritual care is usually provided informally, often by family and
community members, and by the religious community to which patients belong. But
for many, ‘religious’ is often mistakenly understood as synonymous
with ‘spiritual,’ and as a result many distressing questions are
not addressed.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Also,
African faith communities can have neutral or negative influences upon
patients, who sometimes refuse to disclose their HIV status for fear of
discrimination and ostracism, and who can be made to feel their illness is the
consequence of past sins, or deviations from strict religious moral codes.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">It’s
different in the U.S. Here, palliative care for people with serious or chronic illnesses
– such as cancer, cardiac disease, or kidney failure – has
traditionally been applied later, near the end of life, instead of at diagnosis
when treatment intended to cure remains possible. Fortunately there is growing
recognition among health care professionals that palliative care at this early
stage should go hand in hand with curative efforts.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Currently,
however, the spiritual needs of many US patients and their families still often
go unmet because, while chaplains are a mandated presence in hospice services,
that is not the case in non-hospice palliative care settings, due to historical
policy and insurance reimbursement practices.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Spirituality,
for too long neglected in palliative care, must be integrated fully into
American and African health care systems, with spiritual advisors embraced as
core members of the care team. Only then can services address what unites
patients in both continents, irrespective of their material wellbeing: the
soul.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><i><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic" lang="PT-BR">Richard Powell is deputy director for research at HealthCare
Chaplaincy in New York. He previously was director of learning and research at
the African Palliative Care Association in Kampala, Uganda.</span></font></i></span><span><i><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc;font-style:italic" lang="EN-GB"><br>
<br>
</span></font></i></span><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><b><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS WEB.SITE<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">========================<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS calls for zero discrimination and
ensuring rights to health, dignity and security on Human Rights Day <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">10/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">PRESS STATEMENT<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">GENEVA, 10 December
2012—On the occasion of Human Rights Day, there is evidence that global
solidarity and shared responsibility are expanding people’s right to
health across the world. More than half the people in need of antiretroviral
treatment are now receiving it, far fewer people are dying from AIDS-related
illnesses, 25 countries have reduced new HIV infections by more than 50% and
new HIV treatment and prevention science promise yet more results.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">But AIDS is far from over
and there are still major challenges to reaching people with life-saving HIV
services. People living with HIV have fought for and gained impressive
recognition of their right to non-discrimination. However zero discrimination
in the response to HIV is far from being achieved. HIV-related discrimination
continues to impact the lives of many people living with HIV, and still
prevents millions of people from coming forward to test for HIV and access
prevention and treatment services.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Effective programmes and
protective laws can overcome discrimination and marginalization in the context
of HIV. But many of the people most affected by the epidemic remain
marginalized and criminalized––sex workers, people who use drugs,
men who have sex with men and transgender people. They are unable to benefit
from their rights to health, non-discrimination and freedom from violence. As
the world strives to achieve zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and
zero AIDS-related deaths, efforts must be doubled to realize the rights of all
people affected by HIV. <u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">This International Human
Rights Day is dedicated to the principle of inclusion and the right to
participate in public life. We need to work to ensure that all members of
society have the opportunity to fully realize their rights to health, dignity
and security in a world with HIV.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Key elements to ensuring a
rights-based approach to HIV include:<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> Strong and supportive
links to care and treatment must be included in HIV testing programmes;<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> Efforts to expand
treatment must ensure access to the right medicines at the right time,
including second line medicines that in many places remain prohibitively
expensive;<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> Health systems need to be
strengthened to become places of care and support, not denial and
discrimination;<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> Communities and civil
society also need to be strengthened and resourced to work in synergy with
health services;<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> A wide range of HIV
prevention services must be made available, especially to young people who are
often denied their rights to information and services about HIV and sexuality;<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> Women living with HIV
must be able to fully exercise their reproductive and sexual health rights;<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> And punitive laws must be
replaced by protective ones.<span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc"><br>
<br>
</span></font></span></span></font><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_FromUNAIDSorg02"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">2<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">The 31st meeting of the UNAIDS Programme
Coordinating Board opens<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">11/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
31st UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting is taking place in
Geneva from 11-13 December.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">During
the opening session, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé will present his
report outlining the progress made since the last Board meeting in June 2012,
as well as the challenges ahead. At the invitation from Mr Sidibé, Dr Richard
Horton, Editor in Chief of the Lancet, will share his views on the AIDS
response in the Post-2015 Framework and its contribution to global health and
development.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet will participate in the
meeting for the first time since the UNAIDS Board approved the appointment of
UN Women as the 11th Cosponsor to the Joint Programme in June 2012. The UNAIDS
Board will also receive a mid-term review on the implementation of the Agenda
for Accelerated Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
thematic segment of the meeting will take place on Thursday and will focus on
Non-Discrimination. Participants will examine policy and programmatic actions
that reduce HIV-related discrimination in various sectors, including health
care, employment, education, justice and the community. The segment will also
be an opportunity to discuss strategies for expanding these policies and
programmes in the context of national HIV responses.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
31st meeting of the UNAIDS Board is being chaired by Poland.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><a name="13b8a297e7331240_FromUNAIDSorg03"><b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">3<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">Women out loud: How women living with HIV will
help the world end AIDS <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">UNAIDS<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#e93e35" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#e93e35" lang="EN-GB">11/12/2012<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font color="#ff99cc" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ff99cc" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">In
a new report, entitled Women out loud, UNAIDS explores the impact of HIV on
women and the instrumental role women living with the virus are playing to end
AIDS. It includes the latest data and commentary from some of the leading
advocates on women and HIV.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
report includes the voices of some 30 women living with HIV who have given
their personal insights into how the epidemic is affecting women and on how
women are actively working to reduce the spread and impact of AIDS.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">HIV
is continuing to have a disproportionate effect on the lives of women. It is
still the leading cause of death for women of reproductive age, and gender
inequalities and women’s rights violations are persistent in rendering
women and girls more vulnerable to HIV and preventing them from accessing
essential HIV services.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“Achieving
zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero-AIDS related deaths will
require accelerated action for women and girls,” said Michel Sidibé,
Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Women must have access to education and
knowledge as well as being empowered to protect themselves from HIV. We must
listen to their needs, their voices and transform their words into action.”<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Every
minute, one young woman is infected by HIV <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">The
infection rates among young women aged 15-24 are twice as high as in young men,
highlighting the impact HIV is having on young women’s lives. The
disparity is most pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa, where 3% of young women are
living with HIV.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Comprehensive
sexuality education is critical for all young people to ensure that they can
protect themselves from HIV, especially young women. However the percentage of
young women who can correctly identify ways of preventing HIV is still very low
in many countries with high HIV prevalence.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“Today
around 60% of adults living with HIV in the most affected regions are
women––we need to take urgent action,” said the Executive
Director UN Women Michelle Bachelet. “To make our response more
effective, we need more women in decision-making, more access to information
and services for sexual and reproductive health, and more focus on promoting
and protecting the rights of women and girls.”<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Gender
inequalities critically influence the risk of HIV infection <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">Much
progress is needed is in ensuring gender equality and respect for women’s
sexual and reproductive health and rights, especially those of women living
with HIV. Harmful gender norms and a lack of economic empowerment are rendering
women more vulnerable to acquiring HIV through sexual transmission.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR">“Improving
women’s social and economic status and enhancing their decision making
power reduces the risk of HIV infection,” said Jennifer Gatsi, Executive
Director of the Namibian Women’s Health Network.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="PT-BR"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Marginalised
women remain the most impacted by HIV <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Sex
workers and people who use drugs are particularly vulnerable to HIV. When sex
is exchanged for money or drugs, women often exert little influence over a
partner’s condom use. Female sex workers are 13.5 times more likely to be
living with HIV than other women. Some countries reported an HIV prevalence
rate of more than 20% among female sex workers in capital cities. Studies
conducted in nine European Union countries have indicated on average a 50%
higher prevalence of HIV among women who inject drugs than in men who inject
drugs.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">End
new infections among children and keep their mothers alive <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Since
UNAIDS launched the Global Plan to stop new HIV infections in children and keep
their mothers alive, new infections in children in sub-Saharan Africa have
fallen by nearly 25% (2009 to 2011). This represents a huge step towards
achieving zero new HIV infections in children by 2015.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">However,
stigma and discrimination or the threat of stigma and discrimination are still
preventing many women from accessing prenatal care services. Almost two of
every three pregnant women in low- and middle- income countries do not know
their HIV status.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">It
is critical to protect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of all
women living with HIV. This includes their right to access voluntary and
confidential HIV testing and counselling, accurate and non-judgemental
information, quality treatment and services, and to bear children in a safe
environment, free of stigma, discrimination and violence.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Laws
and policies to protect the rights of women living with HIV <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Laws
and policies should protect women and girls, however there are many that exist
that actually punish, stigmatize and discriminate against women living with
HIV, creating a significant barrier to women accessing both harm-reduction and
HIV-related services. The report highlights the need for changes in laws,
policies, programmes and practices, and calls for women to be an integral part
of policy-making and programming.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">Women
out loud provides an in depth insight into the many challenges faced by women
and particularly women living with HIV. It also offers a snapshot of how women
are shaping the response to HIV and the importance of their active involvement
in decision making and programming.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"> <u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.0pt"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">The
foreword of Women out loud is signed by Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of
UNAIDS, Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women and Jennifer Gatsi,
Co-founder and Executive Director of the Namibian Women’s Health Network.
The report is formally being launched with the Polish Minister of Health and
UNAIDS current board chair at the Polish mission in Geneva at 7pm on Tuesday 11
December 2012.<u></u><u></u></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span><font face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>HIV TWG Listserv<br><br>Address to post message: <a href="mailto:hivaids-twg@ngocentre.org.vn">hivaids-twg@ngocentre.org.vn</a><br><br>Subscribe to the listserv: <a href="http://mailman.ngocentre.org.vn/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/hivaids-twg">http://mailman.ngocentre.org.vn/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/hivaids-twg</a> <br>