Speeches

Wold AIDS Day Speech

ECON/CONS Officer Angelina Wilkinson

November 30, 2007

Every 5 seconds, someone around the globe is dying from AIDS. That is someone’s mother, father, brother, sister or child that is dying and will never return to their family.

In 1969 the world did not know of this new disease called AIDS. By 1976 there were a few people around the world that were starting to take notice, but still it was largely unknown. But, by the mid-1980s, everyone was starting to take notice as it became more of a mainstream threat to everyone not just an isolated segment of the population.

Leadership—taking into control ones own destiny and responsibilities or being put in a position to effect the responsibilities that others must assume. The ability to guide, direct, or influence people.

In the year 2007, 33.2M people are estimated to be living with HIV, 2.5M people became newly infected and 2.1M people died of AIDS.

The number of people dying from AIDS related illnesses has declined in the last two years, due in part to the life prolonging effects of antiretroviral therapy. AIDS is among the leading causes of death globally and remains the primary cause of death in Africa.

The United States through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief ensures that countries around the world get aid to some of the most vulnerable populations effected by AIDS, women and children. This program ensures that it supports the unique needs of women and girls including victims of sex trafficking, rape, abuse and exploitation. The Presidents program is the only program that requires data on gender, a critical step to understanding the extent to which women and girls are getting life saving help. It also includes strategies to fight sex trafficking and prosecution while still serving the victims.

But, the biggest question that each of us can ask our selves each and every day is what can I do as a citizen, mother, father, brother, sister, and friend to my community as a whole. Again, we come back to leadership.

The International Federation of the Red Cross remains concerned about the plight of women and girls facing HIV who are at risk not only because of biological factors, but also because of their social vulnerability. Now, 62% of young people ages 15-25 living with AIDS are female. As women and their children continue to die in record numbers, the social and economic consequences are decimating communities and continents. Women are the backbone of agricultural countries and are also the generational links and information sharers. Women also bear the added burden of caring for those suffering with AIDS, spouses, siblings, children, whether or not they have the disease themselves.

Leaders come in all ages and across all levels of society. My challenge to each and everyone of you today is to think about how you can make a difference in your community and in the lives of others. Sponsor a community HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, Encourage friends and family to get tested on a regular basis if they feel that they may be at risk. Partner or volunteer at local clinics that serve the AIDS population. Stay in school, become educated, go to further schooling and become a researcher, doctor, or social worker and help your community by assisting the world on a global scale.

But, the most important action that you can take is to take leadership and responsibility for your own actions. You can make the decision right now, tomorrow, next week, etcetera that you are going to protect yourself from AIDS. Leadership is not only a statement, but a way of life that we can all learn to adopt.