The theme of
this World AIDS Day is leadership. Without it, we will never get ahead of the
epidemic.
AIDS is a
disease unlike any other. It is a social issue, a human rights issue, an
economic issue. It targets young adults just as they should be contributing to
economic development, intellectual growth, and bringing up young children. It
is taking a disproportionate toll on women. It has made millions of children
orphans. It does to society what HIV does to the human body -- reduces
resilience and weakens capacity, hampers development and threatens stability.
This does not need
to happen. We have the means to prevent young adults from becoming infected. We
have the means to treat those who are infected. We have the means to provide
care and support.
We have made
tangible and remarkable progress on all these fronts. But we must do more. Although
new data shows that global HIV prevalence has levelled off, the numbers are
still staggering. It is our crucial mission to ensure that everyone can access HIV
prevention, treatment, care and support. This includes migrants, sex workers,
injecting drug users, and men who have sex with men. It includes people who
work in Government, banks, legal offices, schools, and international organizations.
It includes all people -- wherever they live, whatever they do.
Overcoming stigma
remains one of our biggest challenges. It is still the single biggest barrier
to public action on AIDS. It is one of the reasons why the epidemic continues
to wreak its devastation around the world
Today, I call
for renewed leadership in eradicating stigma associated with HIV. I applaud the
brave individuals who live openly with HIV, who advocate tirelessly for the
rights of the HIV-positive, who educate others about AIDS. I call for
leadership among Governments in fully understanding the epidemic, so that
resources go where they are most needed.
And I call for leadership at all levels to step up the work to scale up
towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010
-- as pledged by all Governments last year. We have only two years left until
that target date. We need to show leadership now.
As Secretary
General, I am determined to lead the United Nations family in this endeavour --
to ensure that we prioritize action on AIDS, to encourage Member States to keep
the issue high on national and international agendas, and to work to make the
UN a model of how the workplace should respond to AIDS.
Whatever our
role in life, wherever we may live, in some way or another, we all live with
HIV. We are all affected by it. We all need to take responsibility for the
response. On this World AIDS Day, let us show the leadership required to live
up to that responsibility.
01.12.07
