WHO report on the health of women: AIDS leading cause of death globally in women of reproductive age

In a landmark report on the health of women and girls across the globe, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that AIDS-related illness is the leading cause of death and disease among women of reproductive age in low and middle income countries, particularly in Africa. Also, globally, unsafe sex is the single leading risk factor contributing to deaths among women of reproductive age. These findings support the contention in Women and Health: Today’s Evidence, Tomorrow’s Agenda that in a multiplicity of areas female health is neglected and must now be considered an urgent priority

The report maintains that women and girls are especially vulnerable to HIV infection due to a variety of biological and social factors. These include low socio-economic status that can limit choices and lead to high risk behaviours and norms and laws that subjugate women and which discourage them from seeking and obtaining the information they need to keep themselves safe. For example, globally only 38% of young women are able to describe the main ways to avoid infection and they are less likely to know that condoms can protect against HIV than young men. Data from 16 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 2001-2007 also show that HIV prevalence is generally higher among adolescent girls aged 15-19 than their male counterparts. A significant cause of this is young girls partnering with older men who are more sexually experienced and more likely to be infected.

Violence against women

Violence against women is also a major cause of their increased vulnerability to HIV. It can make it difficult or impossible for them to control their sexual lives, abstain from sex or get their partners to use condoms. Violence, or the threat of it, can also result in women avoiding HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.

For UNAIDS, this is a major area of concern and its Outcome Framework 2009-11 has stopping violence against women and girls as one of nine priority areas. According to Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS, “‘We know that there is a strong relationship between violence against women and HIV. We need to help young people develop the skills for mutual consent in sex and marriage and put an end to violence and sexual coercion. This is key to preventing HIV and to achieving gender equality in all aspects of life.”

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UN Secretary-General urges countries to follow the United States and lift travel restrictions for people living with HIV

Geneva/New York, 31 October 2009 — UNAIDS welcomes President Obama’s announcement of the final rule removing entry restrictions based on HIV status from US policy. The removal of HIV-related travel restrictions in the US overturns a policy that had been in place since 1987. Such restrictions, strongly opposed by UNAIDS, are discriminatory and do not protect public health.

“I congratulate President Obama on announcing the removal of the travel restrictions for people living with HIV from entering the United States,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “I urge all other countries with such restrictions to take steps to remove them at the earliest.”

The United Nations Secretary-General has made the removal of stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV a personal issue. He called for the removal of travel restrictions for the first time in his address to the General Assembly during the High Level Meeting on AIDS in 2008. “That they should be discriminated against, including through restrictions on their ability to travel between countries, should fill us all with shame,” said Secretary-General Ban in a speech to the Global AIDS Conference in August last year.

At his request, several countries including his home country, the Republic of Korea, are in the last stages of removing travel restrictions. Other countries that are considering removal of travel restrictions include China and Ukraine. In 2008, the UNAIDS board strongly encouraged all countries to eliminate HIV-specific restrictions on entry, stay and residence and ensure that people living with HIV are no longer excluded, detained or deported on the basis of HIV status.

“Placing travel restrictions on people living with HIV has no public health justification. It is also a violation of human rights,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “We hope that other countries that still have travel restrictions will remove them at the earliest.”

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UNAIDS welcomes announcement to remove entry restrictions based on HIV status from US policy

"If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it," President Obama said Friday.


Washington DC, 30 October, 2009 — UNAIDS welcomes President Obama’s announcement of the final rule removing entry restrictions based on HIV status from US policy. The removal of HIV-related travel restrictions in the US overturns a policy that had been in place since 1987. Such restrictions, strongly opposed by UNAIDS, are discriminatory and do not protect the public health.

“Today’s announcement reinforces the position of the US as a global leader in HIV policy and practice," said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. “This policy change is a significant step forward by the United States towards promoting human rights in the AIDS response.”

In an earlier rulemaking notice, the US government concluded, “Maintaining HIV infection on the list of excludable conditions for entry into the US would not result in significant public health benefits. Further, this approach is not in line with current international public health practice. This approach continues discriminatory practices and contributes towards the stigmatization of HIV-infected persons.”

The announcement came alongside President Obama’s signature of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. The Ryan White Program is the largest program dedicated to providing life-saving and life-extending treatment and support services to people living with HIV in the United States.

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The Global Database on HIV related travel restrictions

There are many countries around the world that restrict the entry, residence and stay of foreigners who are HIV positive. These countries perpetuate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV by singling out HIV as a “dangerous disease”. This database lists country-by-county how each government of the world does or does not impose these outdated and discriminatory laws. While these restrictions are commonly referred to as “travel restrictions”, the effect these laws have on individuals and families is more serious than this term may imply.

The Global Database on HIV-Related Travel Restrictions is an initiative of the German AIDS Federation, the European AIDS Treatment Group and the International AIDS Society. The Database provides updated information from 196 countries, on existing regulations denying entry or residency for people living with HIV, based on relevant country legislation. Wherever possible the database informs about the mechanisms used in practice, to support implementation and enforcement of HIV-related travel restrictions. It is the successor to earlier information provided on the European AIDS Treatment Group web site.


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Stand United and Take Action

Dear Stand Up Take Action (SUTA) partners,


The United Nations System in the Philippines is once again inviting you and your organization to participate in this year's Stand Up, Take Action campaign to help achieve the eight (8) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With the theme "Stand United, Fight Poverty", the global campaign will run from 16 to 18 October 2009 and coincide with the annual observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and the Philippines' National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 717-2004.


The focus of this year's campaign are the Goals that are least likely to be achieved by 2015, namely, MDG 1: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; MDG 2:achieve universal primary education; MDG 5: improve maternal health and MDG 6: combat HIV/AIDS in particular.


As we are nearing the final stretch to the 2015 MDG deadline, all efforts are geared towards increasing the clamor for policy and programmes change and ensuring that more Filipinos become aware of the significance of these Goals in their everyday life.


Last year, through your help, the campaign successfully mobilized 35.2 million Filipinos through various events and activities - the largest number ever recorded by a country worldwide. This year, we are inviting you again to join this global effort by doing any of the following: 1) Stand Up and Vote for the MDGs by getting your organization members to accomplish the attached "I Vote for the MDGs" survey form and submit to the Stand Up Secretariat on or before 18 October; 2) organize your own Stand United, Fight Poverty event; 3) join our planned events which will be posted in the website. The more people that participate, the louder our message will be to take action now.


For more details, visit http://www.un.org.ph/standup or you may email us at standupphilippines@yahoo.com to get the Stand Up brochure, which you can print, fill up and send to us by fax (632) 901-0404 or by email to standupphilippines@yahoo.com. It would be a great privilege to have you join us and the rest of humanity in this global fight against poverty. Join us, take action and be counted!


Bai Bagasao
UNAIDS Country Coordinator