HIV relief in Africa: “from inertia to paralysis”
Racism and sexism fuel the tragedy that is HIV/AIDS in Africa. Esteemed Canadian Stephen Lewis, in his role as the UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa, has highlighted these twin blights — themselves rights violations — in his ongoing effort to draw attention to the crisis and stimulate action.
"Gender is at the heart of the pandemic," says Lewis. Women and girls are more vulnerable to infection for a number of reasons stemming from their less powerful position in society, but also their biology. Educating girls and empowering women are key strategies in the fight against HIV.
Sharply critical of the paucity of international response to the AIDS crisis, Lewis cannot but conclude that racism is to blame. The rhetoric at the G8 summit in Gleneagles last year was impressive, but the action was not. The donor shortfall dooms millions of men, women and children to death, "as the world moves from inertia to paralysis."
While UNAIDS does important big-picture work in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere, the Toronoto-based Stephen Lewis Foundation supports grassroots initiatives in Africa aiming to make a difference to people living with HIV, those who care for them and those they leave behind. You can be a part of it.
