Note to Correspondents

WORLD to REVIEW ACHIEVEMENTS, PROBLEMS IN CONQUERING HIV/AIDS

 

on 2 June, FOUR YEARS AFTER UN SPECIAL SESSION

Voices of Youth to Be Heard

NEW YORK, 26 May (UNFPA) -- The world’s nations will hold a special one-day General Assembly meeting on 2 June to review the progress made, and the challenges that remain, in realizing the goals they had adopted at the United Nations General Assembly special session on HIV/AIDS in 2001.  A series of events organized by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, will emphasize these challenges and the need to help countries get adequate resources and adopt policies and programmes to prevent new infections and curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.

In June 2001, the United Nations General Assembly special session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS) recognized HIV/AIDS as the single greatest threat to the well-being of future generations.  In response, governments pledged to urgently address prevention, care, support and treatment of affected persons and children orphaned and made vulnerable by the pandemic.

Events scheduled by UNFPA include:

Wednesday, 1 June

-- Press conference to release “Our Voice, Our Future:  Young People Report on Progress Made on the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS”.

Young people from 12 countries report on progress in addressing AIDS pandemic.  They highlight shortfalls and recommend ways to help ensure that the promises of 2001, particularly those on ensuring healthy, safe lives for young people, are kept.

Who:  Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA Executive Director; and youth authors, Vikram Singh Laishram from India and Eunice Aghete from Nigeria.

When:  11 a.m.

Where:  Room S-226, United Nations Headquarters.

-- Audio news conference featuring youth voices on how to conquer HIV/AIDS all over the world.

Who:  Youth authors, Vikram Singh Laishram from India and Eunice Aghete from Nigeria; and Steve Kraus, Chief of UNFPA’s HIV/AIDS branch.

When:  1 p.m.

To join the news conference by phone, please contact Micheline Kennedy, CCMC, at (202) 326-8710 for access.

Thursday, 2 June

-- Round table on prevention.

Who:  Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA Executive Director; and representatives of governments, United Nations entities and civil society.

When:  11 a.m.

What:  The round table will focus on HIV/AIDS prevention for women, young people and vulnerable groups.

Organizers:  UNFPA, UNESCO and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Contact: Abubakar Dungus, tel.:  1 (212) 297–5031, e-mail:  dungus@unfpa.org; or Omar Gharzeddine, tel.:  1 (212) 297–5028, e-mail:  ghazerddine@unfpa.org.  To arrange interviews, please contact Mr. Dungus.

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