Today is Human Rights Day, the 56th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the last of this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence. It is also a day on which intolerable numbers of women will suffer violent assaults, and on which many will be infected with HIV.

UNAIDS is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Mero Kececioglu-Kylicas as Special Envoy of UNAIDS.

Today, women and girls account for nearly half of the 37.2 million adults living with HIV worldwide. Over the past two years, the number of women infected with the virus has increased in every region of the globe, and if current trends continue, women and girls will soon outnumber men and boys infected with HIV.

UNAIDS acknowledges with tremendous sense of loss the tragic news of the sudden death of Paulo Longo, Coordinator of the Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) in Brazil and human rights activist.

UNAIDS is deeply shocked at the recent killing of FannyAnn Eddy, a leading pan-African gay rights activist and founder of the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association (SLLAGA).

Geneva, 16 August 2004 – UNAIDS is deeply concerned about the recent detention and reported mistreatment of 39 members of the Blue Diamond Society, a Nepalese AIDS NGO working with sexual minorities. The Nepali police arrested these people on 9 August 2004 and they are still being held today.

UNAIDS welcomes the new initiative announced by the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Tony Blair. This commitment, to spending at least £1.5 billion over the next three years on HIV-related programmes, represents a tremendous step forward in the global effort to combat AIDS. UNAIDS also applauds the strategy’s strong focus on women, young people and orphans; often the most vulnerable groups. The UK is once again showing the importance of directed and informed leadership.

UNAIDS welcomes the announcement by the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, to more than double Australia’s funding for AIDS from AUS$ 250 million (US$ 180 million) to AUS$600 million (US$ 435 million) by 2010. The announcement was made in tandem with the appointment of Australia’s first Special Representative on HIV/AIDS.

UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, today welcomes the announcement made by Hilary Benn, UK International Development Secretary, of increased funding to UNAIDS and to UNFPA to help tackle the global AIDS epidemic and improve sexual and reproductive health for women and young people in developing countries.

UNAIDS particularly commends the agreement on supporting the United Nations General Assembly Special Session Declaration on HIV/AIDS and the summit’s statement on paragraph 6 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration on TRIPS, dealing with ensuring availability of medicines for those most in need.