SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN REMARKS AT AIDS CONFERENCE MEETING WITH CIVIL SOCIETY,

STRESSES COMMITMENT TO STIGMA-FREE MODEL WORKPLACE AT UNITED NATIONS

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to a meeting with civil society at the Global Village of the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City on 4 August:

I am delighted to meet with such a large and diverse group of friends and colleagues from civil society.  Let me say a warm word of greeting to leaders living with HIV and Red Ribbon Award winners.  And a special hello to Keren Gonzalez, who I have had the privilege of meeting before, and who is showing great leadership at such a young age.

People like you are at the heart of the AIDS response.  I profoundly admire your courage and commitment.

I am here to thank you for the role you play in keeping the United Nations, Governments and others accountable to the communities we serve.  And I am here to urge you to continue to play this role.  Your advocacy was crucial in getting AIDS on the global political agenda.  Thank you so much for playing such a role.  As the Secretary-General of the United Nations, I have been able to raise awareness of AIDS issues to the top of my priorities.  That was possible only because of your strong commitment and participation.

I am also here to reaffirm my own commitment.  As Secretary-General, I will do everything in my power to work for greater involvement of people living with HIV.  In the UN itself, I am determined to make our United Nations a model workplace.  One of my most moving experiences as Secretary-General in the last 17 months was meeting with UN staff with HIV.  I was so moved by this that the memory has stayed with me for a long time, and I offer my full support, sympathy and encouragement to all of you.  We also have UN Cares to help them overcome stigma and discrimination.  I am committing myself to make the United Nation a model workplace where people with HIV can work without feeling any stigma or being discriminated against.

Overcoming stigma remains one of the biggest challenges for all of us in the response to AIDS.  It is still the single biggest barrier to public action.  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 and discrimination 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 on all of us to protect the human rights of those living with HIV and communities at risk, such as men who have sex with men, people who [inject] drugs and sex workers.

Let us be honest.  It is true that there is still discrimination in our society; however, when you or I speak out, you must notice that it makes a difference.  The environment is changing now.  The awareness, sympathy and understanding of people vis-à-vis the rights of people living with HIV has changed.

Many leaders have shown great leadership, including the President of Mexico, whom you saw speak yesterday.  He has made it very clear that he is making it easier for foreign companies to sell antiretroviral medicines and it is hoped during his time in office he will provide all these medicines free of charge for whoever is in need of this.

Another example of discrimination is the restriction on travel.  Travel -- freedom of travel -- is protected by all countries in their constitutions, including in my own country.

I welcome the action taken by the United States Government to lift US travel restrictions on people living with HIV.

Today, I very much look forward to visiting this Global Village and being inspired by your enthusiasm, your creativity and your integrity.  After listening to all of you, I look forward to meeting with other individuals who are using their talents in the struggle -- from Dancers for Life to Hairdressers against AIDS.

I hope you will all see me as a partner in this fight.

The best partnerships are those where all parties both talk and listen.  So I will stop speaking now, and look forward to listening to you.

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For information media • not an official record